Candor, criticism mark Yugoslav party congress

Yugoslavia's Communist Party Congress closed here Tuesday after the most freewheeling, open debate in the party's postwar history, Monitor correspondent Eric Bourne reports.

Officials point with satisfaction to the candid speaking and free rein for criticism at the congress. But what counts is the action that follows.

The country had a balance-of-payments deficit last year of some $600 million and an inflation rate exceeding 40 percent. This year the government hopes to limit inflation to 17 percent. It recently tightened controls on export earnings , which should make it easier to meet some $500 million in debt servicing due this year. But the issue is so sensitive that the controls are for only a single year.