ZAGREB, Dec 18 (Hina) - Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) said on Thursday it was "inappropriate and rushed" of International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives to advocate postponing the application of the Trade Act.
ZAGREB, Dec 18 (Hina) - Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) said on
Thursday it was "inappropriate and rushed" of International Monetary
Fund (IMF) representatives to advocate postponing the application of
the Trade Act.#L#
The head of the IMF Mission to Croatia, Hans Flickenschild, yesterday
objected to a ban on shops working Sundays, claiming it undermined
free market competition and might increase unemployment and reduce
GDP.
The NHS said work Sundays was not an item of Croatia's stand-by
agreement with the IMF, and that the IMF reaction confirmed that this
institution represented the interests of major corporations everywhere
in the world, Croatia included.
"Viewing (Flickenschild's) statement and proposal that Croatia
reconsider the possibility of postponing the application of the Trade
Act as slightly rushed and inappropriate, we feel that is not the role
of the IMF Mission to Croatia and that the IMF can promote the
interests of large corporations differently and with more tact," the
HNS said in a letter.
The amended Trade Act goes into force on January 1. It bans work on
Sunday for stores whose premises exceed 200 square metres.
(Hina) ha sb