ZAGREB, March 29 (Hina) - Three Croatian Railway (HZ) unions on Wednesday suspended rail traffic for one hour in order to prevent the closing of some rails and further downsizing, which the so-called "road lobby" is trying to achieve,
union representatives told reporters at the end of the protest. This is the first time the Union of Engine Drivers, the Union of Rail Workers, and the Union of HZ Infrastructure are organising a protest not because they are seeking an increase in salaries but because they oppose various mob activities which caused a very difficult situation in the HZ, said a vice-president of the Union of Engine Drivers, Ivan Tolic. The State Audit report on 1998 and 1999, in which a series of illegal operations in HZ's work are stated, only confirms what unions have been claiming for years, Tolic said. The intention to close some rails is an example of how the HZ is being destroyed for the s
ZAGREB, March 29 (Hina) - Three Croatian Railway (HZ) unions on
Wednesday suspended rail traffic for one hour in order to prevent
the closing of some rails and further downsizing, which the so-
called "road lobby" is trying to achieve, union representatives
told reporters at the end of the protest.
This is the first time the Union of Engine Drivers, the Union of Rail
Workers, and the Union of HZ Infrastructure are organising a
protest not because they are seeking an increase in salaries but
because they oppose various mob activities which caused a very
difficult situation in the HZ, said a vice-president of the Union of
Engine Drivers, Ivan Tolic.
The State Audit report on 1998 and 1999, in which a series of illegal
operations in HZ's work are stated, only confirms what unions have
been claiming for years, Tolic said.
The intention to close some rails is an example of how the HZ is
being destroyed for the sake of interests of the road lobby, which,
apart from haulers even includes people who are holding the posts of
deputy ministers, Tolic claims. The rail Belisce-Bizovac is an
example of how this is being done - first, a timetable is introduced
which does not suit the passengers, which causes a decrease in
transport, which in turn is used as an argument that the rail should
be closed, Tolic said.
It is time to identify those who are responsible for the HZ not being
able to provide better services, said the president of the Union of
Engine Drivers, Nenad Mrgan. Due to harmful contracts, the HZ has
DM100 million worth of reserve parts stored at the customs instead
of purchasing new railway cars, he added.
The unions also believe that the former HZ director Marijan Klaric,
who has been Assistant Minister for Rail Transport since last year,
is responsible for the damage worth millions of kuna the HZ suffered
during his mandate.
Downsizing is the only thing that has been implemented so far from
the programme on HZ's restructuring, drawn up by the World Bank, the
head of the Union of Rail Workers, Darko Pericic said. However,
downsizing, too, has reached its limits and new dismissals will
jeopardise the safety of transport if additional investments in the
modernisation of the rail are not made, Pericic assessed.
The Government and the new Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport
and Communications, Alojz Tusek, who so far has not had the time to
meet with union representatives, must become involved in solving
the problem of the HZ. The unions seek dialogue on a new HZ
direction, and they have prepared some proposals, the union leaders
told reporters.
(hina) jn rml