ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The situation in the printing and publishing +industry, including journalism, has become very dramatic, due to +numerous dismissals, bankruptcies, and irregular salary pay outs, +Stjepan Kolaric, president of
the Croatian printing and publishing +union, told reporters on Tuesday.+ Since the introduction of Value Added Tax on January 1, 186 +publishers (one third) have closed down, while the rest are barely +surviving. Forty-four percent less titles were printed this year, +and circulation is mainly under 1,000 copies which, according to +Kolaric, is insufficient to even cover publishing costs.+ Seven publishing companies are presently bankrupt, while about 20 +other companies, with some 3,000 employees, are several months late +in paying out salaries.+ The printers union, with about 14,000 members, is currently +conducting over 1,000 labour litigation cases, Kola
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The situation in the printing and publishing
industry, including journalism, has become very dramatic, due to
numerous dismissals, bankruptcies, and irregular salary pay outs,
Stjepan Kolaric, president of the Croatian printing and publishing
union, told reporters on Tuesday.
Since the introduction of Value Added Tax on January 1, 186
publishers (one third) have closed down, while the rest are barely
surviving. Forty-four percent less titles were printed this year,
and circulation is mainly under 1,000 copies which, according to
Kolaric, is insufficient to even cover publishing costs.
Seven publishing companies are presently bankrupt, while about 20
other companies, with some 3,000 employees, are several months late
in paying out salaries.
The printers union, with about 14,000 members, is currently
conducting over 1,000 labour litigation cases, Kolaric added.
He claims the situation is deteriorating also in the newspaper-
distribution industry, even in companies that were profitable
before privatisation.
The printers' union would not be only a neutral observer, stressed
Kolaric, not specifying the measures it would take.
(hina) it/ha mm