ZAGREB, 19 Dec (Hina) - Working bodies of the Parliament House of Representatives on Thursday supported a draft state budget for 1997. Representatives of Opposition benches criticized the draft budget. Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
representatives, on the other side, estimated that the draft budget was appropriate for the current situation in Croatia.
ZAGREB, 19 Dec (Hina) - Working bodies of the Parliament House of
Representatives on Thursday supported a draft state budget for
1997. Representatives of Opposition benches criticized the draft
budget. Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) representatives, on the
other side, estimated that the draft budget was appropriate for
the current situation in Croatia. #L#
Supporting the draft, parliament committees gave numerous
suggestions. The Finance and State Budget Committee proposed that
the National Bank of Croatia (NBH) and Government should submit a
report on the financial rehabilitation of banks. The Committee also
proposed that Croatia should in future take as little short-term
loans abroad as possible.
The Legislation Committee proposed that means for
compensation for former political prisoners as well as for an
increase in salaries of judges and other judicial employees be
secured through the sale of the property of the former Communist
Union and the Socialist Union of Croatia.
The Committee for Labour, Social Policy and Health and the
Committee for Family, Youth and Sports demand that authorized
ministries submit to the House of Representatives an analysis of
effects of a population policy measures within six months.
Croatia is an expensive state and this is a pre-election
budget which does not mention long-term well-being of the state,
said Marinko Filipovic of the Croatian Peasants' Party bench (HSS).
The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) holds that criticism
by parliamentary representatives cannot be answered only by cutting
expenditure for representational funds and cars, HSLS
representative Ivan Herak said. The draft budget was neither social
nor development-oriented, he said, adding it would leave Croatia's
economy 'in a wheelchair'. Tax reduction was HSLS main demand,
Herak said.
The Social-Democratic Party (SDP) was also dissatisfied with
the draft budget, since it was not directed towards maximal state
economizing, Zeljka Antunovic of the SDP said.
Although they had been increased in comparison to the past
year, the means intended for national communities and minorities
were still small, said Furio Radin on behalf of the bench of
independent representatives of national minorities.
The draft budget was not substantially specified so that one
could not see how the taxpayers' money was being spent, said Dino
Debeljuh of the Istrian Democratic Alliance.
The draft budget was good, appropriate for the present
situation and wishes of the people and state, HDZ representative
Djuro Njavro said. The budget promised the continuation of
stability and growth of Croatian economy, he said, adding that the
budget was socially oriented towards victims of the Homeland war,
but it also did not neglect pensioners.
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