RAIL WORKERS' STRIKE IS DETRIMENTAL - TRANSPORT MINISTER

ZAGREB, Feb 22 (Hina) - Croatian Transport Minister Zeljko Luzavec said on Thursday that the government could not agree to demands by two rail workers' unions for a 100 percent wage increase. "It would bring down the whole national budget," Luzavec told a press conference, adding that wages could only be increased if Croatian Railways (HZ) increased its revenues. "I'm willing to reach an agreement with the unions under which wages would be increased by 7.3 percent by the end of year and would reach the level of average industrial wages, despite the fact that HZ's revenues are now four times lower than in a period when its employees received wages at the level of average industrial wages," he said. Luzavec said that the strike would only worsen the situation because efforts were being made to increase HZ revenues. He added that rail services to Dalmatia had been resumed and that a major west-east line through the currently occupied area, which had generated a prewar profit of 60 percent, was expected to be reopened soon. (hina) lm jn 222118 MET feb 96