ZAGREB, Jan 9 (Hina) - Representatives of Croatian associations of unemployed people and students have reacted mostly positively to a government's employment programme, but objected the programme did not include middle-aged people who
lost their jobs during the privatisation process. The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia's (SSSH) section of the unemployed and the Network for Employment Promotion have supported the government's programme, assessing that it defines unemployment categories well. However, the section's spokeswoman Ana Milovac warned about the need to draw up a programme for people over the age of 40, which make up a significant number of the section's membership. The acting president of the Croatian Association of Unemployed Persons, Mario Ivekovic, says the government has forgotten middle-aged jobless people, who after 20 or more years of service were
ZAGREB, Jan 9 (Hina) - Representatives of Croatian associations of
unemployed people and students have reacted mostly positively to a
government's employment programme, but objected the programme did
not include middle-aged people who lost their jobs during the
privatisation process.
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia's (SSSH)
section of the unemployed and the Network for Employment Promotion
have supported the government's programme, assessing that it
defines unemployment categories well.
However, the section's spokeswoman Ana Milovac warned about the
need to draw up a programme for people over the age of 40, which make
up a significant number of the section's membership.
The acting president of the Croatian Association of Unemployed
Persons, Mario Ivekovic, says the government has forgotten middle-
aged jobless people, who after 20 or more years of service were
sacked during the process of privatisation and ownership
transformation.
He welcomed the employment of young people as an attempt to stop
brain drain, but stressed that high unemployment is reduced with
economic development rather than employment stimulation.
The government encourages employers to employ black labour instead
of punishing them, Ivekovic said.
The president of the Croatian Students' Assembly, Marko Potrebica,
is sceptical towards the programme but hopes it has realistic
foundations.
Commenting on a programme of parallel employment of young people in
the public sector, who would work together with people nearing
retirement, Potrebica said he doubted this could be accomplished
because the sector had too many employees.
Should the government seek its support, the Croatian Students'
Assembly will support the implementation of the programme, he
said.
The head of the government's Office for Social Partnership, Vitomir
Begovic, said social partners would encourage local authorities
through local economic-social councils, which will be established
in a month's time, to see to it that the government's programme is
implemented in the best possible way.
(hina) rml