Ozren Matijasevic, president of the HURS union federation, said the government was putting new pressure on citizens and criticised a 13 per cent intermediate VAT rate on some foods, saying it would further cut purchasing power.
He said the government was responsible for the fact that the budget deficit had reached its highest level ever, and not the declining purchasing power and the high unemployment. "They don't know what they are doing and the damage will evidently be paid by Croatian citizens."
Mladen Novosel, president of the SSSH union federation, described the guidelines as "robbing Peter to pay Paul, which won't solve the budget deficit issue."
"The only thing that can save Croatia is economic growth, but real economic growth, not the one this government has been announcing since the beginning of its term," he said.
The guidelines show the government has no idea of how to pull out of the crisis and that it sees higher taxes as the solution, said Kresimir Sever, president of the NHS union federation.
The government cannot kickstart the economy but is deepening the crisis and announcing salary cuts and layoffs, he said, adding that the new tax pressure would diminish purchasing power.
MHS president Vilim Ribic said the guidelines were "finally a realistic approach by the government" and that the deficit was not the worst evil threatened by some economists.
It is important to preserve salaries and the system, and the deficit will be solved with a smart policy within two to three years, he said.