WORKERS' UNION CONDEMNS STATEMENT BY PARLIAMENT VICE PRESIDENT

ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - The Independent Union of Workers in Agriculture, Food and Tobacco Industry and Water Management (PPDIV) on Wednesday criticised Parliament Vice President Mato Arlovic for equating road blockades by the employees of the Agricultural and Processing Plant 'Vrbovec' with statements by Marinko Liovic, president of the Homeland War Invalids (HVIDR) association, who threatened to block roads throughout Croatia during the tourist season. "We are shocked because Mato Arlovic is comparing hungry workers with political gamblers," PPDIV president Josip Pavic told reporters. According to 'Vecernji list' daily, Arlovic commented on Liovic's statements at a panel of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nova Gradiska last Saturday, saying "it is the same individuals, only with different names, who organised the strike at the Agricultural and Processing Plant 'Vrbovec'." Pavic believes that "such comparisons can be given only by politically unaware blind men," and added no protest organised by the PPDIV had been politically motivated. He called on Arlovic and the SDP not to compare unions with those who generate chaos. The PPDIV president also commented on the first 100 days of the new government. "The PPDIV is not satisfied with the work of the government, which so far has only been analysing and monitoring the situation," Pavic said, adding there was no visible progress regarding the financial position of workers. The government will have to start resolving that problem because otherwise it will face the risk of losing the social truce, Pavic said. (hina) mm rml