ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Hina) - The Association of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) supports workers of 'Komercijalna Banka' and their union representatives. This Association expressed astonishment at Saturday's event in
connection with this bank as it does not befit the image of a legally-based and social country. On early Saturday morning, guards of "Tigar Cikatic" security agency arrived in the bank's offices in the downtown Zagreb, changed the lock at the entrance and closed the entry through the courtyard not letting workers come into a bank and join other employees that have been holding a sit-in in the offices for a month. The guards have been hired by the bank's trustee in bankruptcy, Pero Hrkac, whom the bank's employees have not allowed to enter the bank in fear of his attempt to remove certain documents which can allegedly discredit the former management of Komer
ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Hina) - The Association of the Independent Trade
Unions of Croatia (SSSH) supports workers of 'Komercijalna Banka'
and their union representatives.
This Association expressed astonishment at Saturday's event in
connection with this bank as it does not befit the image of a
legally-based and social country.
On early Saturday morning, guards of "Tigar Cikatic" security
agency arrived in the bank's offices in the downtown Zagreb,
changed the lock at the entrance and closed the entry through the
courtyard not letting workers come into a bank and join other
employees that have been holding a sit-in in the offices for a
month. The guards have been hired by the bank's trustee in
bankruptcy, Pero Hrkac, whom the bank's employees have not allowed
to enter the bank in fear of his attempt to remove certain documents
which can allegedly discredit the former management of
Komercijalna and some politicians of the ruling party blaming them
for malfeasance in the bank's operations. At about 09.00 am
Saturday, around 80 workers gathered in front of the bank's offices
in order to enter the building, but the guards thwarted them. At
about 09.30 am police arrived on the spot and then employees and
guards tried to come into the building behind the police and got
into a fight. Two female workers were lightly hurt. According to
workers, policemen failed to intervene in the scuffle.
In a statement, signed by the SSSH President Davor Juric, this union
also expressed surprise at Interior Minister Ivan Penic's silence
about the failure of policemen to intervene in the fight at the
entrance to the Bank's premises.
Unionists described the explanation given by Zagreb police deputy
superintendent Dubravko Novak that intervention could not be done
due to an insufficient number of policemen as "scandalous".
The SSSH wonders how that there are always enough policemen when
workers, in search for being enabled to exercise their rights, head
from Jelacic Square via Radiceva Street toward St. Marco's Square
(where buildings of the Government and Sabor are placed).
The union also raised the question whether creditors, i.e. citizens
who cannot get back their deposits from Komercijalna Bank, will pay
for the hiring of Tigar Cikatic security guards.
(hina) jn ms