Minister Linić says HPB and Croatia osiguranje likely to be privatised this year

Finance Minister Slavko Linic said on Thursday that there would be no funds in the budget for the Croatian Postal Bank (HPB) and the Croatia Osiguranje insurance company and that they should be privatised, which would probably happen this year.

"We don't think that revenues from privatisation will salvage the budget, even though one should send a message that privatisation is in the function of reducing our foreign debt and covering this year's deficit, because that is what rating agencies and creditors will appreciate," Linic said answering questions from reporters after a government session.

He added that the government also wanted to send a message that Croatia was oriented towards being a country of market economy and that the real sector should be left to private entrepreneurs.