ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - The ruling coalition's six parties and the biggest union federation are satisfied with the implementation of the Agreement for Just Croatia, coalition representatives headed by Prime Minister Ivica Racan
concluded at Friday's meeting with the federation's leadership. "I think that in the past ten and a half months we have realised much more than one fourth of the Agreement for Just Croatia," Racan said after the meeting, reminding one fourth of the government's mandate would soon be over. Racan said much in the agreement had been realised, especially in connection with legislation, but that full implementation would require a four-year mandate. The government's priorities in the coming period will be economic progress and new jobs. The president of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH), Davor Juric, agreed a good part of the agreement had been r
ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - The ruling coalition's six parties and the
biggest union federation are satisfied with the implementation of
the Agreement for Just Croatia, coalition representatives headed
by Prime Minister Ivica Racan concluded at Friday's meeting with
the federation's leadership.
"I think that in the past ten and a half months we have realised much
more than one fourth of the Agreement for Just Croatia," Racan said
after the meeting, reminding one fourth of the government's mandate
would soon be over.
Racan said much in the agreement had been realised, especially in
connection with legislation, but that full implementation would
require a four-year mandate. The government's priorities in the
coming period will be economic progress and new jobs.
The president of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of
Croatia (SSSH), Davor Juric, agreed a good part of the agreement had
been realised, but added social dialogue with some ministries
should be intensified, the Economy Ministry in particular.
"We expect the adoption of amendments to the Labour Law in January,
especially our amendment on a 40-hour working week," said Juric.
For now, SSSH is unhappy with the part of the agreement referring to
employment, i.e. the non-realisation of employment-oriented
projects.
The Agreement on Just Croatia bound the parties of the ruling
coalition, among else, to pass a strategy for the country's
economic and social development, audit ownership transformation
and privatisation, set the minimum salary on the subsistence level,
introduce progressive taxation, and decrease the Value Added Tax
rate.
Commenting on a strike of public and civil servants' unions, the
prime minister said the poor turnout indicated that many servants
"understand very well the difficult economic and social moment and
are not willing to support the unreasonable demands and duration of
the strike."
Racan dismissed the unions' accusations that the government did not
comply with a March work agreement on salary harmonisation.
"We even borrowed money to pay an 8.5 percent difference in salaries
for the last three months, but will not meet unreasonable and
unrealistic demands," he said.
(hina) ha