ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The Croatian Caritas has expressed regret at Wednesday's decision of the Constitutional Court revoking amendments to the Law on Commerce of last October which banned the work of stores on Sundays.
ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The Croatian Caritas has expressed regret at
Wednesday's decision of the Constitutional Court revoking amendments
to the Law on Commerce of last October which banned the work of stores
on Sundays.#L#
"After the adoption of this decision, we believe that the government
and the parliament will show consistence and European orientation by
adjusting the said law to the Constitution and legislation of other
countries which specifically protect Sunday, except in extraordinary
circumstances, as a day of rest and an occasion for family
gatherings," the director of this humanitarian organisation, Mario
Bebic, said today.
Zagreb Archbishop Ivan Prendja, who is the president of the Caritas,
said that the decision was surprising and that he was sad to see that
the Constitutional Court had failed to identify the violation of human
rights of thousands and thousands citizens of this state.
The leader of the Croatian trade union of workers in the commercial
sector, Ana Knezevic, has said that the decision of the Constitutional
Court is surprising and added that the union will not abandon its
campaign to provide workers with more rights and free Sundays.
"Let's reduce this issue to the economic aspect alone - those who can
adequately pay workers working on Sundays and give them a day of rest
per week should be allowed to work on Sundays," Knezevic said adding
that in May it would be ten years of the union struggle for the
restriction of work on Sundays.
This trade union and similar trade unions from six European countries
-- Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and
Germany -- will together put up banners with the message "Let's
Restrict Work On Sundays" on May 1 (European Labour Day).
These trade unions have formulated an appeal against work on Sundays
which has been sent to the European Union, with the request to define
Sunday as the day of rest and allow work on Sundays only for vital
services.
On the other hand, the leader of the newly-established Confederacy of
Croatian Industry and Commerce, Ivan Paradzik, believes that the
Court's decision is positive for the national economy.
The chairman of the commerce sector within the Croatian Employers'
Association (HUP), Stipan Bilic, also welcomed the decision.
The decision of the Constitutional Court is expected because of
illogical consequences of the amended law, Bilic said.
Bilic particularly slammed the amendments under which only stores on
an area of less than 200 square metres selling food products and those
with adequate permits were allowed to be open on Sundays. He said this
provision unequally treated shop owners.
Two chains of shops - Getro and Billa -- welcomed the Court's
decision. Representatives of Hipermarket Coop, another chain of shops,
declined to comment on the move.
Managers of the Konzum chain of shops said that they would abide by
the changes to the law.
Eight Constitutional Court judges voted for the abolishment of the
amendments while five were against.
The decision will go into effect on the day of announcement in the
Official Gazette.
According to the Constitutional Court, regulations which limit the
work of stores on Sundays are unconstitutional because they infringe
on market equality, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, equality
before the law and the rule of law. The Constitutional Court did not
contest the right of the employers to regulate business hours.
However, it believes that numerous exceptions in the amendments to the
Law on Commerce are not in accordance with constitutional and legal
standards.
A request for the assessment of the constitutionality of the
amendments was submitted by Stupnik municipality, seven department
store chains and two Osijek residents.
(Hina) ms