"If the citizens of the Republic of Croatia have opted for the referendum, we will it carry out it, being aware that some preconditions must be met,"Kosor said at her cabinet's meeting in Zagreb on Thursday.
Upon the expiry of two-week time term, trade unions reported earlier in the day that they had managed to collect 720,078 signatures. The minimum requirement was 449,506 signatures, that is 10 percent of the electorate, in the period from June 9 to 23.
Kosor said that the government would request the parliament to interpret relevant legislation on specifying which institutions are competent to check the validity of signatures.
After that the government is going to propose to the parliament to hold an extraordinary session during its summer recess, that is after July 15, in order to consider the government's proposal for revising the state budget as the current one provides for no fund for organising referendums or elections this year, according to Kosor.
The costs of the possible referendum are estimated at HRK 170 million, as much as was spent on the last elections.
"Given the very serious situation regarding the budget, funds for the referendum will be ensured by the reduction of certain projects and entitlement," the premier said.
She called on trade union federations and political parties that supported the signature-collecting drive to propose how those funds could be ensured.
Kosor also announced meetings of the ruling coalition on this matter.
The premier reiterated that the government-sponsored amendments did not aim to weaken the labour rights or to annul collective agreements.
She went on to say that the draft amendments were a measure of the Economic Recovery Plan supported by all partners in the Economic and Social council (GSV).