Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor on Tuesday dismissed theOpposition's criticism of a draft 2010 budget, saying that the Opposition madeno constructive proposals to improve the budget.

The Opposition says the budget needs to be reduced, but they do not want tosee that it has been reduced, that we made cuts from material expenses tointellectual services and expense accounts, that we made serious cuts insubsidies, Kosor said after the opening of a conference on electronicadministration.

In the new draft budget, the government had to envisage more funds forpensions and maternity allowances, the PM said.

"Let the Opposition point the finger and clearly say by how much theywant the pensions to be reduced and then we will discuss their proposal but wewill not accept it," Kosor said.

She also said that employers did not harshly criticise the government atyesterday's session of the Economic and Social Council, but that the two weremaking joint efforts to lead the country out of the crisis, adding that newEconomy Minister Djuro Popijac, who came to her cabinet from the Employers'Association, played an important role in that.

By the end of the year we will adopt several other austerity measures thatwill relieve the burden from the economy, Kosor said, stressing that hercabinet was also working on reducing parafiscal levies and other measuresfavourable for employers.

The PM voiced confidence there would be better news next year. "I amnot saying and I cannot claim that we will overcome the crisis next year,because at this moment nobody can claim that, but we are doing everything wecan for this to happen," Kosor said.