TRADE UNION URGES ADOPTION OF DECLARATION ON ECONOMIC ZONE

UMAG, Aug 22 (Hina) - The Association of Workers' Trade Unions of Croatia (URSH) and its member-unions urge the government and parliament to adopt, by October at the latest, a document proclaiming an economic zone in the Adriatic, URSH leader Boris Kunst said at a news conference in Umag on Friday. #L# The conference was also attended by the leaders of the Union of Police Officers, the Union of Fishermen, and the Union of Police Officers' commissioner in Istria County. In a statement, which was distributed to reporters, the URSH says that a similar appeal had been forwarded to the government and parliament two years ago, when problems regarding Piran Bay were culminating. Kunst said that Croatian politicians should not give in to what he called an increasingly aggressive Slovene policy. "Croatia cannot accept the role of a milking cow which is sucked by whoever wants it and whenever one wants it, but it must protect the Adriatic and its natural resources, especially the sea bed and the fish fund, which has been already halved," Kunst said among other things. The union considers as extremely brazen Slovenia's request for the European Commission to interpret Croatia's decision on the economic zone, which it says is entirely within Croatia's competence and about which Croatia does not need to consult neighbouring countries. Kunst has warned the government and parliament to urgently define measures of environmental protection of the Adriatic regarding the project Druzba Adria. (hina) rml