DECISION TO STOP TRAFFIC UNFOUNDED - SAYS CRO. RAILWAYS OFFICIAL

ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - A decision to stop cross-country railway traffic between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesday is unfounded and if carried out may lead workers to a breach of working duty which might entail adequate legal measures, Croatian Railways (HZ) director Dragutin Subat said on Tuesday. He urged representatives of the Trade Union of Engine Drivers of Croatia, which made the decision, to come for talks with the HZ leadership before the announced protest. The union earlier today said they would discontinue traffic due to poor safety in railway traffic as indicated by last Saturday's grave accident, involving a derailed cargo train, near Plaski in southern Croatia. The union said it had decided to protest because the first official reactions from HZ indicated the blame would be put on the train's engine drivers. The main cause why the train was derailed were faulty brakes, it said. The HZ director said in this evening's statement the Plaski accident was not enough to claim that railway traffic safety was at a low level, and that it was incorrect to state that it was below the level of normal functioning. The statement says HZ is conducting an intense investigation into the Saturday accident, and that the absence of a report on the case is no motive to discontinue traffic. (hina) ha