CRO UPPER HOUSE ENDORSES GOVT'S EMPLOYMENT POLICY

( Editorial: --> 2597 ) ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament's House of Counties on Tuesday endorsed the National Employment Policy with a majority of votes. Presenting the Policy on behalf of the Croatian Government, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Joso Skara said it was a clear and pragmatic document. Recalling that registered unemployment had suddenly started going up in early 1990 and had stayed between 14.7 and 17.6 per cent since, Skara explained the many measures the Government was planning to take, including reducing registered unemployment and labour costs, and offering new jobs. Representatives of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) assessed the presented document as a good foundation for operative measures aimed at solving unemployment. They in particular warned about the unemployment of demobilised defenders. The opposition believed the document was general, lacking in deadlines and names of people responsible for its execution. They warned that besides the issue of the unemployed, there was also the problem of thousands of employed people not receiving salaries. (hina) ha jn 171832 MET feb 98