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FOREIGN PRESS BUREAU ZAGREB
Daily Bulletin

October 6, 1998

In todays bulletin:
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� CROATIA

1. Statement Between Croatia and The Holy See to be Signed on Friday
2. New Premises of the Medicare for Workplace Institute Opened
3. Matesa & Croatian Returnees Delegation Discuss Implementation of State
Care Law
4. Pensioners to Receive More
5. Tudjman Awards Medal of Honour to Former US Ambassador to The Holy See
6. Tudjman Receives Army Officers Attending Armed Forces War School

� BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

7. EU Welcomes High Voter Turnout and Without Incidents


***


 CROATIA


1. STATEMENT BETWEEN CROATIA AND THE HOLY SEE TO BE SIGNED ON FRIDAY

The head of the State Commission for Relations with Religious Communities
Jure Radic stated that an economic agreement between Croatia and the Holy
See would be signed on Friday, October 9. The agreement is to clarify two
important issues - the first one being that of the communist regime seizing
the property of the Church and the second being the financing of the public
work of the Church.

The Holy See's Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano, said recently during a
meeting with Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa that the document in question
would be used in the future as an example for the signing of such
agreements with other countries. Radic said that the agreement was not
signed during the Pope's visit to Croatia last weekend in an attempt to
avoid making the document the focus of the Holy Father's visit to Croatia.


2. NEW PREMISES OF THE MEDICARE FOR WORKPLACE INSTITUTE OPENED

The Health Minister, Zeljko Reiner, opened the newly constructed premises
of the Medicare for Workplace Institute, which was itself founded through a
government decree in 1996. The aim of the Institute is to work on improving
the health of the active Croatian population and to co-ordinate the
Workplace health efforts across Croatia. The Institute will be in charge of
mapping out work procedures in this field of medical care and will also
co-operate in the creation of legislation in this particular field.


3. MATESA & CROATIAN RETURNEES DELEGATION DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE
CARE LAW

The Prime Minister, Zlatko Matesa, and a delegation of the Association of
Croatian Returnees led by Mato Simic, discussed the implementation of the
Law on Areas of Special State Care and also announced possible changes to
it. The two sides have agreed on possible changes which would ensure the
improvement of the existing law in line with the newly developed situation.
Matesa said that the changes would have to focus on the creation of even
stronger bonds between incentives and development programs, particularly
job creation programs. The awarding of agricultural land has also been
discussed, as well as reconstruction efforts and ensuing problems of the
return process.


4. PENSIONERS TO RECEIVE MORE

According to Monday's vote by the Pension Fund governing committee,
pensioners are to receive 100 Croatian kunas plus an additional six percent
of their pension over the next 48 months starting from November, in line
with the allocated 7.5 billion Croatian kunas from the state budget. The
first instalment of some 500 million Croatian kunas, that is to cover these
additional payments until the end of the year, will have to be paid up to
the Pension Fund as soon as possible.


5. TUDJMAN AWARDS MEDAL OF HONOUR TO FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE

President Tudjman awarded one of the highest Croatian medals of honour,
that of prince Trpimir, to the former US Ambassador to the Holy See, Thomas
Patric Melady, for his achievements in spreading the truth about Croatia.


6. TUDJMAN RECEIVES ARMY OFFICERS ATTENDING ARMED FORCES WAR SCHOOL

Croatian president Tudjman received high ranking officers of the Croatian
Army currently attending the War School of the Armed Forces, including
generals Mile Cuk, Milenko Filipovic and Jozo Milicevic.  The officers have
been requested to attend the school following the signing of international
agreements. The President congratulated them on being chosen to attend the
school and added that they were selected due to their pivotal role in the
defence of the country and that this also qualifies them to lead the armed
forces in peace time.


***

� BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA


7. EU WELCOMES HIGH VOTER TURNOUT AND WITHOUT INCIDENTS

The EU foreign ministers have welcomed in Luxembourg on Monday the high
voter turnout and the peaceful staging of the Bosnia-wide elections held on
September 12 and 13. The ministers noted that voters had turned their backs
on nationalist parties, which they consider important in the establishment
of democracy in B-H. The EU heads of diplomacy have reiterated the
importance of the full implementation of the Dayton and Paris accords and
expressed their wish for the newly elected representatives of the authority
to constructively co-operate in achieving democracy.


***

EXCHANGE RATES: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/tecaj

WEATHER REPORT: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/prognoza

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Croatian Information Centre           Tel:   385 1 / 611 5116
Trg Stjepana Radica 3                      Fax:   385 1 / 455 0700
10000 Zagreb                               E-Mail:   hicnews@hic.hr
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA            Web:   http://www.hic.hr/news

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