GOVT AND UNIONS AGREE ON PAYMENT OF SALARIES FOR NAMA EMPLOYEES

ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - After an agreement by representatives of unions and the Croatian Government to urgently pay salaries to employees of the Nama chain of stores and the Ludbreg show factory Buducnost, some 800 employees of the two companies left home peacefully, having patiently waited in front of a strong police barricade for hours to the talks to end. The talks were held by leaders of the Croatian Trade Union and the Textile, Leather, Footwear and Rubber Union and Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa and Economy Minister Nenad Porges. Porges pledged Nama would be paid US$600,000 by the Economy Ministry on Friday, which is sufficient for the payment of minimum salaries of US$286 for 2,100 employees, president of the Trade union, Ana Knezevic, told reporters after the talks. The mentioned amount should assist the employees to live through the next month, until a strategic investor is fund to buy Nama, she said. Porges informed the unionists a loan became effective on Wednesday from state reserves. The loan amounts to US$11.4 million, and it has been granted to Nama by the Economy Ministry. Textile Union president Josip Zidanic informed the employees of Buducnost the Government would next week pay US$643,000 to deblock the company's account, and thus, enable the payment of salaries for April. The remaining debts to workers, amounting to between US$1.4 and 1.7 million, will be transferred to stock, so small stock owners would own 30 to 40 per cent of shares. Union leaders said police had illegally prevented Thursday's peaceful protest which they announced on time and in line with regulations. (hina) lml jn