PRIME MINISTER SPEAKS WITH DOCTORS' ASSOCIATIONS REPS

ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - The government cannot yield to pressures by the Croatian Doctors' Union (HLS) which demands that doctors' salaries be increased in a linear manner, because it does not want to jeopardise the state, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Friday after two-hour long talks about the situation in the health system. #L# Should the government accept this request, it would face similar demands by several hundred thousands of other citizens, Racan said at a meeting with representatives of doctors' associations and health institutions. He urged the HLS to cease a doctors' strike which began on January 15. Otherwise the government will undertake measures to stop it, he said. He did, however, promise that the government would not enter a severe conflict with the union for several days. "Don't let the government protect the dignity of doctors," Racan told HLS representatives, adding that the government's obligation was to protect the rights of patients and citizens. With an unusually harsh tone, Racan urged doctors to think well about "what you are doing to yourselves and citizens" because the uncontrollable development of events regarding the strike harmed the reputation and attitude of people towards the medical profession. The government is prepared for dialogue on solving problems in the health system to establish exactly what could be solved immediately and what could be solved in the coming period. An increase in doctors' wages is possible only by increasing contributions for the health sector. It is highly improbable that citizens would settle for that, Racan said. HLS president Ivica Babic reiterated union requests for a 20 percent increase in wages and a profession's collective agreement. He said he could not accept the premier's harsh rhetoric, to which Racan replied Babic should watch his own rhetoric. Babic said he should consult the Strike Committee about everything. (hina) lml sb