DOCTORS IN AREAS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN PROTEST OVER WAGES

ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - On behalf of doctors working in the Croatian areas of the special state concern (regions that used to be under Serb rebels' control), the main committee of the Croatian Doctors' Trade Union asked responsible institutions to find immediately means in the state budget to be allocated for their adequate salaries. The Doctors' Trade Union Main Committee on Friday asked for the financial means which will ensure that doctors in the above- mentioned areas can receive salaries in conformity with Article 19 of the Law on the Areas of the Special State Concern. They demanded that the payment of salaries for January be in accordance with this law. The Committee forwarded a strong protest to the Croatian Government and National Parliament (Sabor) over Premier Zlatko Matesa's failure to respond to their letters sent in the mid-January and at the beginning of February in connection with a decision of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO) to discontinue paying salaries which doctors and nurses had received in 1997 and 1998 in conformity with Article 19 of the aforementioned Law. Following the HZZO recent decision to stop paying such salaries with an explanation that there were no sufficient means in the state budget, doctors, nurses and other health care employees were denied the right to the wages which the law provided for, the Union Main Committee said. (hina) ms