ZAGREB, Sept 18 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's Finances and Budget Committee supported a package of bills aimed at revising social entitlements with a majority of votes on Tuesday. Members of the Committee entered a heated debate
on the cancellation of the three-year maternity leave as some members believe the final costs of such a measure could be higher than the desired economies. Some committee members doubt Croatia will have enough day-care centres and qualified staff to take care of children, and some claim the cancellation of the three-year maternity leave will result in more sick leave, with increased costs as a consequence. Committee chairman Jadranko Mijalic (Croatian Social Liberal Party) believes all government measures directed at cutting public spending are the result of Croatia's stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The parliament should have discussed the
ZAGREB, Sept 18 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's Finances and
Budget Committee supported a package of bills aimed at revising
social entitlements with a majority of votes on Tuesday.
Members of the Committee entered a heated debate on the
cancellation of the three-year maternity leave as some members
believe the final costs of such a measure could be higher than the
desired economies.
Some committee members doubt Croatia will have enough day-care
centres and qualified staff to take care of children, and some claim
the cancellation of the three-year maternity leave will result in
more sick leave, with increased costs as a consequence.
Committee chairman Jadranko Mijalic (Croatian Social Liberal
Party) believes all government measures directed at cutting public
spending are the result of Croatia's stand-by arrangement with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). The parliament should have
discussed the arrangement instead of letting the government make a
political decision on its own, he said, calling on government
members to hold a session on the arrangement with the IMF and
explain which other measures were in the offing.
Vilim Ribic, leader of the Council of Croatian Public Service
Workers Unions, believes some rights become privileges at a certain
time and that the three-year maternity leave is indeed too long.
Economies have to be made, he said, but objected that there had been
no estimates of the effects of the bills.
Deputy Health Minister Ranko Ostojic said at the end of the debate
the bills were aimed at making the system of social entitlements
more just. The measures are unpopular, but the government has the
courage and arguments to defend them, he said.
Committee member Djuro Njavro raised the issue of the replacement
of the head of the Statistics Bureau, Ivan Rusan.
Two weeks ago, some government ministers criticised the Bureau over
the calculation of retail prices and living costs, and last week the
Bureau's head was replaced, so one has to ask if the Bureau of
Statistics is an independent institution, Njavro said.
The union leader Ribic supported Njavro's view, announcing that
unions would demand that the Economic and Social Council urgently
hold a session on Rusan's dismissal.
(hina) rml