GOVT COMMENTS ON 'NAMA' WORKERS PROTEST RALLY

ZAGREB, April 12 (Hina) - Commenting on Thursday's protest rally of 'Nama' chain of stores' employees, the Croatian government issued a statement saying some workers' unions were manipulating workers for political reasons and 'Nama' was operating successfully thanks, among else, to the government's efforts to reorganise it. About 50 Nama workers gathered today in front of the government building in Zagreb's St. Mark's Square. They threatened to stage new protest rallies until the government met their demands, including the payment of severance pays. The government condemns the conduct of some unions in connection with the organisation of protest rallies and emphasises results the company has achieved since bankruptcy proceedings were initiated. Nama in bankruptcy has been operating successfully and regularly fulfilling its obligations. Its successful operation is the main guarantee for 900 employees in Nama stores and the future payment of workers' claims from the bankruptcy estate, the government statement reads. The government believes some unions are engaged in petty politics and trying to manipulate the workers in order to win political points. Bankruptcy proceedings are within the jurisdiction of judicial bodies and such union conduct is an attempt to interfere with the work of those bodies, the statement reads. Those unionists who are manipulating workers are relaying negative messages to the public thus causing direct damage to the company and its workers. The unions are therefore responsible for the damage incurred as the result of such conduct, reads the statement providing data on the situation in the company in bankruptcy. Until the beginning of bankruptcy proceedings in the first half of 2000, Nama had incurred a loss of 80 million kuna. After the bankruptcy process had been started, Nama realised a profit of one million kuna in the second half of the same year, the statement says. Before its bankruptcy, Nama had 1,900 workers. Upon initiating bankruptcy proceedings, the government promised that it would secure employment for 900 workers, a promise subsequently fulfilled with the employment of 600 workers in Nama; another 300 workers were employed with lessees whose lease contracts were made conditional on the employment of those workers; another 600 workers were sent into retirement because they met retirement conditions. Part of the employees had private companies and a small part of them were directly responsible for fraudulent activities in the company, the statement said. Sixteen out of 17 Nama stores have started operating again whereas the store in Vukovar was completely destroyed in the war. More than 20 percent or 14.5 million kuna of a total of 70 million kuna of workers' claims (salaries, severance pays etc.) have been paid. Nama's successful operation guarantees the continuation of payment of all claims from the bankruptcy estate, which the government supports, the statement says. A Croatian Union Association representative accused at today's rally the government and banks of Nama's bankruptcy, claiming they were responsible for the workers' being last in the line to collect their claims. The workers demand that the government pay severance pays for former Nama workers and secure normal working conditions for current employees. (hina) rml