UNIONS, MINISTRY AGREE ON PAYMENT OF PART OF SEVERANCE PAYS FOR FORMER 'NAMA' WORKERS

ZAGREB, May 11 (Hina) - Croatian unionists and officials from the Economy Ministry on Friday reached an agreement on the payment of 40 million kuna-worth severance pays for 1,200 former employees of Croatia's "Nama" chain of stores, the Association of Croatian Workers Unions commissioner for Zagreb, Mario Ivekovic, told reporters. The money for the payment of the severance pays should be secured by selling Nama's management building in Zagreb, over which the Economy Ministry holds the right of mortgage. Ivekovic told Hina that Assistant Economy Minister Kamilo Vrana today confirmed that the ministry was willing to let the company's former employees collect their claims first and seek its 65 million kuna-worth of claims from Nama later. Ivekovic said today's agreement solved only part of the problem as former Nama employees demanded 62 million kuna-worth of severance pays. The remaining 22 million should be secured as the bankruptcy procedure goes on, he said. Ivekovic was nevertheless satisfied with the ministry's decision because, he said, it means that although the government disclaimed responsibility for Nama's bankruptcy, it eventually decided to meet the demands of Nama workers, who staged several protest rallies in front of the government building demanding to be given priority in the collection of severance pays. (hina) rml