UNIONS: ENERGETICS LOBBY RUSHES INA, HEP PRIVATISATION PROCESS

ZAGREB, March 1 (Hina) - The privatisation of the Croatian oil company INA and the power supply company HEP is being rushed by an energetics lobby which is counting on big commissions, while unionists who are in their way receive anonymous threats, the two companies' unions told reporters Friday. Even though he declined to name the members of the lobby today, the head of the Croatian power economy union, Dubravko Corak, recently mentioned First Deputy Premier Goran Granic, Deputy Premier Slavko Linic, and Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic. "If the parliament passes the HEP privatisation law, electricity in Croatia will never be as cheap as today", Corak warned. He added the sale of power supply system would make Croatia economically dependent, which is "worse than political dependence". The president of INA's workers and oil industry union, Bozo Mikus, similarly assessed a bill on INA's privatisation, reiterating a request that former and current INA workers, and those employed in secondary operations, separated as part of the company's restructuring, be given the possibility of a preferred purchase of shares in the value of EUR10,000. According to the unions, around 30,000 former and current employees should have a right to the preferred purchase. At the moment, 13,000 are employed with the INA parent company, and 16,000 with the INA Group. The president of the Independent Croatian Unions, Kresimir Sever, called on all unionists for a joint resistance to the planned privatisation. If the parliament and government ignore their warnings, the unionists announced further actions, including strike. (hina) np sb