GOVT ISN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR 'BELJE' PROBLEMS - AGRICULTURE MINISTER

ZAGREB, Dec 30 Hina) - Croatian Agriculture Minister Ivan Djurkic on Thursday said the government would take part in finding a solution for the problems of agricultural plant "Belje" once the plant's management and trade union settle their disagreement over who was responsible for the poor situation in the plant. The "Belje" management and union should try to agree at a January 4 meeting of the supervisory board, and attend a meeting at the Agriculture Ministry the day after. Following today's talks with 15 "Belje" unionists, who were headed by agricultural trade union president Josip Pavic, Minister Djurkic said the "Belje" management claimed the reason for workers' dissatisfaction and protests was the result of the non- implementation of a rehabilitation programme the government adopted last May. "Belje" workers have not received salaries for three months. Djurkic asserted the government could not accept that it was responsible for "Belje's" current problems because, he added, out of 11 items of the rehabilitation programme it had settled ten, while the eleventh one was insignificant. Today's talks with Djurkic came after unionists distributed leaflets with their demands prior to a government session. (hina) ha mm