TOURIST EMPLOYEES BLOCK MAIN ROAD IN OPATIJA

OPATIJA, April 7 (Hina) - Employees of the Kvarner Express International (KEI) tourist agency from the northern Adriatic town of Opatija, blocked town's main road between 11AM and noon Friday, protesting against a difficult situation the agency is facing, under the slogan "48 years in the service of the Croatian Tourism - 15 months without wage". KEI Union Commissioner Renata Iskra said KEI was in the worst crisis since its establishment. "Of 840 employees of KEI, only 120 are left, of 33 modern buses, we have 7 outdated left, our phones are off for three weeks already, possibilities for business transactions are far from the minimum necessary level", Iskra said. She added that, in spite of all difficulties the Croatian Privatisation Fund for 18 months already was not reacting to offers of an Austrian investor to privatise KEI. "We demand that by April 15, the owner and the management of the agency publicly announce their plans to stop the general agony", Iskra said. Opatija mayor Axel Luttemberger supported the protesters, despite the fact that the main road through this tourist town was blocked. The management and the supervising committee deliberately destroyed the agency in order to lower its value so a new suitable owner could buy it, Luttenberger said and demanded that charges be filed against the management and the supervising committee. (hina) it mm