UNIONS PRESENT THEIR PRE-ELECTION DEMANDS

ZAGREB, Sept 8 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) on Tuesday adopted minimum pre-election demands, which are to be sent to all parliamentary parties in Croatia, SSSH president Davor Juric told a news conference on Wednesday. The SSSH demands that the Croatian National Sabor adopts a strategy of the overall economic and social development and that each bill which is of interest to workers be debated by tripartite bodies. It also requests that unions be allowed to participate in the work of the Sabor (without the right to vote), as well as in the activities of the Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) Council. The Federation has sent into parliamentary procedure a bill on an agency for insuring workers' claims. The SSSH will decide on cooperation with individual parliamentary parties only if it is previously offered concrete political programmes, Juric said. The SSSH will propose to its members to vote for the party whose programme meets the most of union requests, Juric said. Juric also spoke about yesterday's meeting of SSSH representatives with Premier Zlatko Matesa, which addressed the problem of the Government's responsibility for the current economic and social situation in Croatia. It was agreed that powers of labour inspection, which will be enabled to press charges, be widened, Juric said. SSSH secretary-general Vitomir Begovic said the Government's proposal on signing an agreement on social peace, which was presented at yesterday's session of the Economic and Social Council, was not serious. Begovic believes it is not possible to make long-term solutions shortly before the elections. (hina) rml