PORT WORKERS UNIONS BLOCK PORTS FOR ONE HOUR

RIJEKA/ZADAR/SIBENIK/SPLIT/PLOCE/DUBROVNIK, Sept 25 (Hina) - Croatian port workers unions blocked ports in Rijeka, Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Ploce and Dubrovnik between 9 and 10 am on Thursday in protest against a bill on the maritime domain and seaports, which was adopted in parliament today. #L# Union officials have said that if the government chooses to ignore the blockade, the ports will be completely blocked with heavy machinery until their demands are met. Union coordinator Ivica Marevic, leader of the Ploce Port Independent Trade Union, said that some 1,200 of 2,500 port workers had participated in the blockade. There were no reports of incidents. Workers at Zadar port are currently not working, because their employer has no contracts, but they have expressed solidarity with other workers, said Marevic. The protesters gathered at entrances to the ports, where they read out their demands, the most important being the withdrawal of a law on the maritime domain from parliamentary procedure. The unionists believe that the law "legalises plunder" by stripping port companies and their workers of concessions. The law will strip port workers of acquired rights, leaving them without any compensation, while their companies may face bankruptcy, the unions say. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications has dismissed the accusations, claiming that the new law does not strip port companies of their acquired right to pre-emption with regard to the granting of concessions. The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications, Ronald Zuvanic, today most strongly condemned the blockade of ports. Zuvanic dismissed claims that port workers would be left jobless, stating that all ports and port workers were given the right to pre- emption in the granting of concessions. The minister commended the law, stating that eminent experts had worked on it for about three years. (hina) rml