Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-12-29

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] GOVERNMENT AGREES ON ECONOMIC POLICY FOR NEXT YEAR

[02] MINISTER SAYS CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO CONTINUE

[03] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION REPORTS ON SUCCESSION MEETING IN BRUSSELS

[04] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES DEFENSE MINISTER, CHIEF OF STAFF

[05] PLAVSIC, KRAJISNIK CONFIRM PARLIAMENT WILL CONVENE DECEMBER 27

[06] PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON PUBLIC INFORMATION

[07] CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG FELICITATES NEW YEAR TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

[01] GOVERNMENT AGREES ON ECONOMIC POLICY FOR NEXT YEAR

Tanjug, 1997-12-25

The Yugoslav Government will work for the construction of an open, efficacious, competitive and productive market economy in 1998, with emphasis on export, said a statement issued by the Information Secretariat on Thursday. The economic policy, adopted in a session on Thursday, continues with the stabilization policy of the previous period. The macroeconomic policy will be aimed at supporting structural reforms in privatization, maintaining stable prices and national currency, and increasing the social product and exports. The realization of such a concept should enable a favourable business ambience for building an economic system compatible with the environment, chiefly with regard to partners in the European Union and countries in transition. The economic policy will be directed chiefly at maintaining stable prices and currency, accelerating production and exports, intensifying the reform process, in particular privatization, and improving the standard of living. The realization of the policy depends on acceleration of the transition process, intensification of Yugoslavia's reintegration in the international community and normalization of relations with international financial organizations, making use of autonomous trade measures granted by the EU, foreign capital inflow on the basis of privatization, concessions and foreign investment, as well as better functioning of state institutions, at all levels. Hindrances in the realization of the policy are the outer wall of the sanctions, high foreign trade deficit, lack of foreign exchange funds and working assets, high domestic debts and an inefficient economic system. The economic policy envisages for a growth of the social product by 10 percent, along with keeping prices at the level of December 1997. The Government plans to increase the social product by 10.5 percent in the industry, 3 percent in agriculture, and 13.7 percent in other areas. Public spending has been estimated at 48.5 percent, and wages will increase eight percent. The monetary policy will remain restrictive and linked to the real growth of the social product. Reform of the fiscal system of public spending will gradually reduce the for-long untenable public expenditure which is higher than the social product. The foreign economic policy will be aimed at Yugoslavia's return to international financial and trade organizations and implementation of the program for liberalizing foreign trade exchange, increasing exports and hard currency inflow. Prices of commodities and services will be formed freely, on the basis of supply and demand. State bodies will set prices and control fluctuations in infrastructure activities and the prices of monopolized commodities. The Government will control prices in railways, postal services, medicine, and power.

[02] MINISTER SAYS CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO CONTINUE

Tanjug, 1997-12-25

Serbian Transport and Communications Minister Svetolik Kostadinovic said on Thursday that construction and development projects in all fields of transport and communications will continue in Serbia in 1998. We will continue to work on the trans-Yugoslav highway. Funds will be secured from the tolls and petrol tax and concessions will also be granted for some routes, Kostadinovic told a news conference. He said that the making of documents for the Belgrade-south Adriatic highway will continue and works on one sections will start next year. Serbia will continue to invest in its existing network of roads in order to enable a good access to every town and village, which is the Serbian government's long-term policy, Kostadinovic said and added that work on the railways would also continue. "Next year, JAT (Yugoslav Airlines) will be specially engaged in establishing cooperation among companies and opening an alliance of Balkan airlines, in overseas flights, financial consolidation and especially in the programme of the organisation and ownership transformation and revitalisation and modernisation of its fleet," the Minister said. Kostadinovic said that Belgrade Airport's runway and platform will be reconstructed and equipment purchased enabling the airport to be granted "Category Three." He said that other Serbian airports would also be modernised. "In the field of telecommunications and postal services, the Transport and Communications Ministry will support the ambitious development programme, the important thing being that domestic industry, institutes and other organisations in this field take their proper place," he said. Kostadinovic said that this would mean that domestic capacities and young experts would be employed as a good way to enable a further development of this propulsive and lucrative field and create conditions for a speedier economic growth. As for inland navigation, he said that after the adoption of the Danube corridor, the most important tasks in 1998 were to meet the requirements of international categories, primarily where the Danube, the Sava and the Tisa rivers are concerned, as well as to strengthen ports' capacities and modernise the transport fleet.

[03] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION REPORTS ON SUCCESSION MEETING IN BRUSSELS

Tanjug, 1997-12-25

The Yugoslav Government's Commission in charge of relations with the Peace Implementation Council and international financial and trade organizations Thursday discussed a report by a Yugoslav delegation to the Succession Group's Dec. 11-19 plenary meeting in Brussels, the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said in a statement. It was heard at the session, chaired by Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, that the delegation, headed by member of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences Kosta Mihajlovic, had acted in line with the Yugoslav Government's platform. The Government Commission said that the Yugoslav expert group on succession should prepare a draft agreement on non-economic issues for the next plenary meeting of the Succession Group and submit it for government consideration.

[04] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES DEFENSE MINISTER, CHIEF OF STAFF

Tanjug, 1997-12-24

President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic received Wednesday Yugoslav Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic and Chief of Staff General Momcilo Perisic accompanied by ministry and army delegations. President Milosevic expressed satisfaction with the results achieved in army training, unity, morale, patriotism and sense of responsibility, troop combat preparedness and defense capabilities of Yugoslav Army. The President expressed his conviction that a successful implementation of the accelerated economic recovery program and the reforms underway would lay the conditions for the future development of Yugoslav Army. Expressing his best wishes for the New Year to all army members, President Milosevic said he hoped they would continue fulfilling their duties successfully.

[05] PLAVSIC, KRAJISNIK CONFIRM PARLIAMENT WILL CONVENE DECEMBER 27

Tanjug, 1997-12-24

Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic, RS member in the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Momcilo Krajisnik and RS outgoing Parliament Speaker Dragan Kalinic confirmed at a meeting held in Brcko Wednesday that the constituent session of RS parliament will be held in Bijeljina on December 27. "This was one of a number of working meetings to be held ahead of the session," Biljana Plavsic said and pointed out that the new parliament and new RS government "will work better than the previous ones." Krajisnik said the meeting was successful, that there will be more consultations about appointments to the highest offices, and that there were already "some candidates" proposed by the Serb Democratic Party and the Serb Radical Party.

[06] PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON PUBLIC INFORMATION

Tanjug, 1997-12-24

The Montenegrin Parliament late Wednesday passed without debate a new law on public information, after the text of the law had been coordinated by a multi-party working group and an expert team in charge of preparing necessary legislation for holding early parliamentary elections, scheduled for the spring of 1998. Deputy Milan Gajovic gave a brief explanation of the new law, saying that its text included international media standards and democratic solutions applied in modern European countries. Montenegrin Information Secretary Bozidar Jaredic said that the law envisaged a new way of administering the media, which will be exercised by the individual republic's and municipality's bodies of power. The law gives high executive though not editorial power to public media boards of directors and supervisory boards. Editorial policy will be the job of editor-in-chief, who is appointed by a new body - board of programme directors.

[07] CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG FELICITATES NEW YEAR TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

Tanjug, 1997-12-24

Chinese President Jiang Zemin has felicitated New Year to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Jiang said in his felicitation that President Milosevic's recent visit to China had opened a new page of the friendly cooperation between China and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Jiang also said he was convinced that a comprehensive development of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries would continue in 1998, the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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