Yugoslav Daily Survey, 96-12-31

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT SAYS NOW IS THE TIME FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT

[02] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT RECEIVES ARMY DELEGATION

[03] YUGOSLAV INSTITUTE: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS BETTER NOW THAN LAST YEAR

[04] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT: ECONOMIC TRENDS MUCH BETTER THIS YEAR THAN LAST

[05] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES ECONOMIC POLICY FOR 1997

[01] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT SAYS NOW IS THE TIME FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT

'Peace has finally prevailed around us. Yugoslavia has been relieved of the heavy burden of the sanctions,' said Bulatovic in an interview to Podgorica "Daily Pobjeda", Tuesday's edition.

'This has created conditions for decisive action regarding the reintegration of our state into the international community, decisive steps toward democratic development and enhancing economic efficiency,' said Bulatovic.

He said Montenegro within Yugoslavia had a 'historical chance to realize all its developmental programs quickly, with determination and efficiency, to the well-being of all people.'

Asked about the constitutional solution to the function of the Yugoslav President and Prime Minister, Bulatovic said that talks with the Socialist Party of Serbia that should lead to agreement on the distribution of functions on the Federal level had not begun yet.

'The mandate of the Federal Government and Federal President provide for the question to be examined after overall circumstances in Serbia have been stabilized,' said Bulatovic.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-31 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-30

[02] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT RECEIVES ARMY DELEGATION

Gen. Perisic wished President Lilic, who also heads the Yugoslav Supreme Defence Council, a happy New Year and success in his duties.

Perisic said he was convinced that in 1997 Yugoslavia would fully normalize its relations with the international community and all international institutions and join the European integration processes.

Perisic stressed the importance of the internal and external stability of Yugoslavia and said that the Yugoslav Army would significantly contribute to the country's stability and integrity, the statement said.

President Lilic said that the political will of a vast majority of citizens had proved that a harmonious and united Yugoslavia was the only true union for Serbia and Montenegro and all their citizens and that it was the duty of all citizens to strengthen it to the benefit of all and defend it from all who had bad intentions.

The elected officials should fulfil the expectations of citizens who entrusted them with their mandates and create the living and working conditions which would be similar to those in properly organised European countries.

President Lilic wished a happy New Year to all members of the Yugoslav Army and wished them success in their careers, good health and good luck, the statement said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-31 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-30

[03] YUGOSLAV INSTITUTE: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS BETTER NOW THAN LAST YEAR

Yugoslavia will start the year 1997 with an increased production growth and reserves of raw materials and intermediates as well as a better exploitation of production capacities, Tomislav Milisavljevic of IZIT told a press conference.

Speaking about IZIT's latest analysis of the overall economic trends in 1996 and expectations for 1997, Milisavljevic said that the stability of the national currency, the dinar, had been preserved and the growth of inflation reduced.

IZIT believes that the exports and investments will be crucial for the overall economic activity throughout 1997. This is supported by IZIT's November poll on the expected economic activity in 1997, in which Yugoslav businessmen gave positive answers for almost all trends, excluding exports and investments. Pollers said that their exports would grow by 18 percent and investments by 9 percent in 1997.

As far as short-term forecasts are concerned, the IZIT poll said that a somewhat less favourable business climate was expected in the next three months, but that its improvement was expected in the next six-month period.

The situation is similar with the expected inflow of export orders, which businessmen expect to be somewhat smaller in the first three months, only to improve in the following six-month period.

After a stronger pressure on the growth of prices in November, the poll shows that the number of those who expect a growth of prices in the next quarter is decreasing.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-31 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-30

[04] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT: ECONOMIC TRENDS MUCH BETTER THIS YEAR THAN LAST

A Government statement said that economic activities and foreign trade grew throughout the second half of 1996. Industrial production has recorder a very high growth rate in the past six months, so that the overall production in 11 months of this year increased by 5.6 percent in comparison with the same period last year.

The national currency, the dinar, is stable, while retail price sand the prices of industrial products have a tendency of being calm, like in the largest part of 1996. The overall price growth is nearly two times lower this year than last.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-31 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-31

[05] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES ECONOMIC POLICY FOR 1997

This will in turn give impetus to production and exports, property transformation, and thus also a better living standard of the population, the Federal Government assessed at a session on Monday, as announced by the Federal Secretariat of Information.

The foundation for realizing this plan is a normalization of relations with the international community, financial and trade organizations and the European Union and a braver launching of more radical reform processes.

It was estimated that the real increase of the gross national product in 1997 will be up to 13 percent, industrial growth is planned at 13.9 percent, agriculture 6 percent, and public spending will take part in the distribution of the social product with up to 47.5 percent.

The restrictive monetary policy and limited public spending will enable growth of production and investments, and respect of the firm budget limitations will enable the long-term maintenance of macro-economic stability, the statement said.

The objective of the foreign currency policy, which implies the further liberalization of imports, is to secure liquidity of payments outside the country in order to increase production, and to make the necessary hard currency reserves for the sake of the stability of the national currency.

The Government estimated that the complementary effects of the economic policy measures and the intensification of structural changes and privatization processes will secure an increased inflow of hard currency for the further growth of production and resolving problems of unemployment and surplus of workers.

The Government will implement the policy of the free formation of prices of products and services but only under conditions of a stronger influence of competition from abroad. Salaries in the economic sector will depend on trends in production and work productivity, and those in state organs will be in line with the budget possibilities, the Government statement said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1996-12-31 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-30

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