FIRMS UNDERGOING BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS TO STAGE RALLIES SEPT 2

ZAGREB, Aug 31 (Hina) - Around 1,000 workers from seven Zagreb companies undergoing bankruptcy proceedings will stage warning protests on Thursday, September 2, in front of the Croatian National Bank (HNB), Commercial Court, and the Justice Ministry in Zagreb. The workers believe these institutions are responsible for the bankruptcy policy whose negative effects have been felt exclusively by workers themselves, said Mario Ivekovic, the county commissioner of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH). The institution which is most responsible for the "Commercial Bank case" and for the situation in the banking sector is the HNB. It is also indirectly guilty of bankruptcy proceedings which are being initiated by some banks, such as the Zagrebacka Banka, Ivekovic said. Despite all this, no one has been held liable for this, he added. The Commercial Court is responsible for the slack management of bankruptcy proceedings and especially for the collaboration of bankruptcy councils and trustees in destroying companies, instead of trying to reorganise them, Ivekovic said. No trustee has requested that those responsible for making companies go bankrupt be held accountable, he added. The Justice Ministry is in charge of the work of the Commercial Court, but so far it has failed to deal with it, he added. Workers demand from the Government to secure experts and means for helping companies undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, Ivekovic said. (hina) jn rml