GOVT, EMPLOYERS, UNIONS SIGN PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT PACT

ZAGREB, Dec 22 (Hina) - The government, employers and trade unions signed the Partnership for Development social agreement in Zagreb on Saturday. The document was signed by Prime Minister Ivica Racan, the president of the Economic-Social Council, Goran Granic, and the leaders of the Croatian Employers' Association and four of five union federations - the Federation of Independent Trade Unions, the Council of Public Service Workers' Unions, the Association of Trade Unions, and the Association of Workers' Trade Unions. Most signatories described the agreement as historic, apart from the Independent Croatian Unions, which refused to sign it, describing it as too general, but voiced willingness to resume social dialogue. Present at the signing were President Stjepan Mesic, parliamentary speaker Zlatko Tomcic, and the leaders of the ruling coalition's five parties. The social pact, which representatives of the government, unions and employers debated earlier this month, outlines joint goals, such as economic restructuring, curbing unemployment, stepping up integration into the European Union, and reforms of the tax, pension, health, and educational systems. PM Racan said the agreement would be historic to the extent of its implementation in the years ahead. He called on all political parties, citizens' associations and individuals to join the social pact given Croatia's need to reach a national consensus on the key issues of economic and social development. President Mesic, too, called for accepting the agreement, saying consensus should also be reached as soon as possible with regard to "the other direction, which is Croatia's European path." "Regardless of the party in power, we shall not abandon these directions," said Mesic. (hina) ha