Minister Lalovac announces public debt management strategy

Finance Minister Boris Lalovac announced on Thursday that the government would soon prepare a public debt management strategy after which it would send a bill to parliament that will regulate public debt management and who monitors such management.

Lalovac made the announcement to reporters after the government session at which consent was given to Hrvatske Autoceste (HAC), the country's motorway operator, for two new loans valued at a total of 250 million euros earmarked to settle the company's current dues.

Lalovac explained that the re-schedule of these loans had already been accounted for in the public debt, adding that HAC was unfortunately facing another two or three years of serious re-scheduling of its debts.

He announced that the government would soon prepare the public debt strategy at the central state level but also for public companies.

He added that the bill that would be submitted to parliament immediately after that would redefine the responsibilities of finance directors and managers in public companies because, according to the new Eurostat methodology, public debt includes all loans to public companies and guarantees that the government issues.

(Hina) sp

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