ZADAR TOBACCO COMPANY EMPLOYEES HOLD PROTEST

ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - About 100 employees of the Zadar Tobacco Factory protested in Zadar's (southern Croatia) central square, demanding that Prime Minister Ivica Racan and the government enable the beginning of the production of cigarettes in Zadar's factory. The employees were carrying banners which read: "Racan, Your Minister is a Thief", "We've Waited Long for Bread", "Zadar, Wake Up". The employees were addressed by trade union commissioner in the factory Ante Vojvodic. He stressed the trade union will continue with its actions until the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry allows the production of cigarettes in the factory. "We do not oppose Croatian tobacco laws, but we oppose the regulation on the tobacco production which is not in line with the law. We will use all means to keep our jobs, if necessary, we will inform the entire Europe and the world of this case", Vojvodic said at the protest. He threatened the workers would unload a tobacco truck on the Adriatic highway and block it, should the government fail to enable company's business activities. Present at the protest was the president of the Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) Anto Kovacevic. (hina) it