ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - The Independent Trade Unions Of Croatia (NHS) on Saturday refuted claims by top government officials that they had received consent from trade unions in connection with an increase in the price of electricity
and management stabilisation measures for several state-owned companies. NHS president Kresimir Sever told reporters Wednesday's meeting between union federations and government representatives did not discuss said measures and a higher price for electricity. It is incorrect that the unions supported the decisions the government passed on Thursday, he said. According to Sever, more expensive electricity is a blow to household budgets which might have been avoided by other measures. He questioned Prime Minister Ivica Racan's statement that the increase favoured the position of the socially most endangered. Sever also said there was no actual dia
ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - The Independent Trade Unions Of Croatia
(NHS) on Saturday refuted claims by top government officials that
they had received consent from trade unions in connection with an
increase in the price of electricity and management stabilisation
measures for several state-owned companies.
NHS president Kresimir Sever told reporters Wednesday's meeting
between union federations and government representatives did not
discuss said measures and a higher price for electricity. It is
incorrect that the unions supported the decisions the government
passed on Thursday, he said.
According to Sever, more expensive electricity is a blow to
household budgets which might have been avoided by other measures.
He questioned Prime Minister Ivica Racan's statement that the
increase favoured the position of the socially most endangered.
Sever also said there was no actual dialogue among social partners
in Croatia. "We seek to be treated as equal social partners," he
said.
According to Dubravko Corak, president of the Croatian Power
Economy Trade Union, the reason why the price of electricity has
risen by 25 percent is not the result of poor work on the part of
power utility company HEP's staff or management, but first of all a
poor government policy towards companies in which it has
controlling interest.
The principal reasons for HEP's losses are the failure to correct
the price of electricity since 1993, inflation, higher prices of
power sources, and outstanding debts of 1.8 billion kuna ($212
million).
(hina) ha