ZAGREB, Feb 1 (Hina) - Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic on Tuesday presented his main guidelines in resolving the problem of Croatian shipbuilding industry. Those guidelines are shipbuilding industry as a commercial branch, the
restoration of trust of banks in shipyards, and the privatisation of five Croatian shipbuilding companies. Fizulic said this at a meeting with the leaders of workers' unions in shipbuilding industry, who supported the proposed guidelines. The meeting took place after Fizulic held talks with the managers of five Croatian shipbuilding companies - Pula's 'Uljanik', Rijeka's '3. maj', 'Kraljevica' from Kraljevica, Split-based 'Brodosplit' and Trogir-based 'Brodotrogir'. The Economy Ministry will no longer give funds from its account for workers' wages, including those of Brodotrogir workers, who have been on strike since this morning. However, Fizulic said, the Ministry would do all it can for thos
ZAGREB, Feb 1 (Hina) - Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic on Tuesday
presented his main guidelines in resolving the problem of Croatian
shipbuilding industry. Those guidelines are shipbuilding industry
as a commercial branch, the restoration of trust of banks in
shipyards, and the privatisation of five Croatian shipbuilding
companies.
Fizulic said this at a meeting with the leaders of workers' unions
in shipbuilding industry, who supported the proposed guidelines.
The meeting took place after Fizulic held talks with the managers of
five Croatian shipbuilding companies - Pula's 'Uljanik', Rijeka's
'3. maj', 'Kraljevica' from Kraljevica, Split-based 'Brodosplit'
and Trogir-based 'Brodotrogir'.
The Economy Ministry will no longer give funds from its account for
workers' wages, including those of Brodotrogir workers, who have
been on strike since this morning. However, Fizulic said, the
Ministry would do all it can for those funds to be secured on a
commercial basis.
The president of the Union of Metal Workers of Croatia, Ivan
Jakopcevic, welcomed the announced solution for the payment of
wages to Brodotrogir workers.
The state is willing to grant subsidies, Fizulic said, adding they
would amount to up to 15 percent of the value of a ship.
Croatia has few products it can export and that is why ships are
becoming Croatia's primary interest, Fizulic said.
He warned about the "destruction of the Croatian merchant fleet",
adding the Ministry and Government would see that Croatian shipping
agencies were ordering ships from domestic shipbuilders.
Fizulic also said that three northern Adriatic shipyards could be
privatised in the second half of this year. This does not mean they
would be able to find buyers immediately, Fizulic said, announcing
the arrival of foreign banks specialised in this branch of
economy.
The unions expressed a wish and readiness for cooperation. Fizulic
said he was adamant that it would not be possible to save all jobs in
shipbuilding companies. "I expect clear programmes and budgets
from every shipbuilding company as well as clear cost reduction
plans," Fizulic said.
(hina) rml