IMF representatives told Croatian trade union leaders at a recent meeting that the excessive spending referred to social transfers, the pension system, farming and shipbuilding subsidies and public investments into roads and railways, union leader Vilim Ribic said.
The IMF does not consider a possible increase in education and science funds disputable either, because it does not want to turn Croatia into a country of unqualified people, Ribic said.
The IMF does not believe that the government is obliged to accept its recommendations and advice, although all previous governments had interpreted this as their obligation, using it as a pretext to freeze salaries and restrict workers' rights, Ribic said, calling on the government to immediately start talks on an increase in salaries in the education and science sector so that in three years' time they could reach the level of salaries in the economy.
He added that the unions would fight for their demands with strikes if necessary.
"We will give up the strike that has been announced for late November only if the government seriously decides to tackle the problem of salaries and school reform," he said.
Education and science unions were also supported by the head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, Vesna Dejanovic.
The IMF and the World Bank have said that they will not finance any programme without union support, because no reform is possible without social partnership, said the leader of the Croatian Teachers' Union, Mato Elkaz.
Social partners will discuss tax reform at the next session of the Social-Economic Council scheduled for November 9.