UNIONISTS HOLD TALKS WITH HEAD OF IMF MISSION TO CROATIA

ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - The International Monetary Fund did not request a ten percent decrease in budgetary funds for the salaries of public and civil servants, it was an independent decision of the Croatian government, the leaders of Croatian workers unions said after meeting the head of the IMF Mission to Croatia, Hans Flickenschild, in Zagreb on Tuesday. "We are surprised at Mr. Flickenschild's statement that the government decided independently to reduce budgetary funds for salaries, and this piece of information will be very valuable to us for the continuation of negotiations with the government," said a representative of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions, Drazen Managic. During the meeting, the unionists expressed dissatisfaction with the government's economic and social policy, which they believe is dictated to a significant extent by the IMF. Flickenschild said the IMF did not request changes to the Labour Act which would decrease dismissal wages and shorten the period of notice but the government agreed that measure with the World Bank. The IMF official welcomed government measures which reduced the public spending and budgetary deficit, as well as the announced economic growth rate of four percent. However, he agreed with the unionists that the level of social dialogue in Croatia was dissatisfactory. (hina) it sb