OPPOSITION SIX ANSWERS TO CIVIL SERVANTS UNION ABOUT SALARIES

ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - Responding to a question of civil servants trade unions, Opposition Six leaders on Thursday said they would not cut salaries of government employees in case they win elections scheduled for the end of this year. We shall try to carry out the announced economy of the budget through the restrictions of other state expenditures, a SDP Vice President, Zeljka Antunovic, told Hina today. On Wednesday a trade union of civil servants asked the opposition whether it would accept the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) demands to cut salaries of workers in the state and public sector in case they gain power after the election. It is unfair and incorrect to impute to the opposition a promise allegedly given to IMF officials about the decrease in employees' salaries, Antunovic added. "The IMF has set a general request for the cuts in overall expenditures for salaries in Croatia, as their share in the Gross National Product (GNP) is too high. We have responded to them that they should let us seek a solution to the decrease of that share, and they accepted," she said. Antunovic's statement was confirmed by representatives of HSLS, HSS and HNS. They announced they would discuss this issue again at their forthcoming session which is due to be soon. (hina) jn ms