MINISTER SIGNS CONTRACTS ON EMPLOYMENT OF 400 SURPLUS POLICE

ZAGREB, Aug 10 (Hina) - The interior minister has signed contracts on the employment of 400 out of some 3,100 police who have been made available to the government as surplus labour earlier this week. The Croatian Mine Action Centre will employ 200 and the Mungos and Zastita security agencies another 200 police. "We are thus showing that we do have a care-providing programme and I am publicly signing these contracts as some police unions and unassigned officers have recently voiced doubt in the existence of a care-providing programme for surplus police," Minister Sime Lucin said. Commenting on recent police protests, he said the situation was now "orderly." Lucin conceded there had been irregularities and omissions in issuing layoff notices but that "it will be corrected." The minister said the police that were made available to the government could exert labour rights for another three to six months, depending on the number of years in service. "The big majority of those unassigned will be provided for during that time," he said. A protocol has been signed with the Justice Ministry for the employment of 200 surplus police, Lucin said, adding 59 ex-officers had already been employed by this ministry. For next week, Lucin announced talks with the Croatian Employers Association to arrange the employment of surplus police with security companies. He expects some surplus officers will be employed thanks to a Crafts, Small and Medium Businesses Ministry loan, while other will be retrained with the Labour and Welfare Ministry. In September some unassigned officers will be able to enrol at a border police school, while some will fill in vacancies at the Interior Ministry, said Lucin. Asked how the ministry would react if police unions went on strike, he said it was their legitimate right to do so but on condition that "during strike the service functions normally." (hina) ha