Croatia To Access EU As Country With Lay Offs

The union looked back on the hypocrisy of private doctors, gas crisis, mass redundancies, high prices, taxes and charity funds.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Economic pessimism in Croatia and reduced purchase power of Croats will lead to lay offs, the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) said on Friday.

- We are before the door of the European Union as a country with lay offs – said Mario Svigr, head SSSH economist.

Thus, the SSSH offers several proposals which would increase economic optimism in Croatia and the focus is not exclusively social, but companies without employment posts are included as well.

One of the proposals is the introduction of a moratorium on raised prices, taxes and income taxes, which was proposed by the governor of the international bank as a measure to fight inflation. Introducing a guarantee fund for small and medium-sized companies and announcing the construction of infrastructure projects would enable home investors to access projects.

We want to know who makes the clothes for the Croatian Army

The SSSH proposed the establishment of a clothing and food fun, in case the worst case scenario happens.

- We can`t allow every situation to surprise us again and again, we want to know who makes the clothes for the Croatian Army, which textile industry it is, and not for Croatian workers to be terrified with lay offs –president of the SSSH Ana Knezevic said.

She also looked back on gas supplies, saying Croatia keeps solving the same problem every year, from the start.

- Gas prices in relation to the citizens` purchase power is the highest in the world, many things are planned with gas in Croatia and gas is used irrationally. Things will only get worse – engineer Branimir Molak said.

Molak spoke of a gas export contract between Croatia and Italy, saying the price for the Italians amounted to 6 cent per cubic metre, while it amounted to 40 cents for Croats, without adding the 20 percent expensification.

He compared this contract with the one Croatia has with Slovenia on the Krsko nuclear power plant, which resulted in damages for Croatia amounting to 2 billion dollars. He also looked back on the sale of the INA oil company, saying it was worth 2 million more at the time it was sold.

When it comes to the health reform, the SSSH is exceptionally dissatisfied with the hypocrisy of private doctors, who used their patients as a shield. Spomenka Abversek, SSSH vice president for public health, says it is inapprehensible for the union to accept the laws and then the ministry to defend itself with the fact that the lobby of private doctors refused to accept them. She said that with these actions by private doctors, hospital doctors who work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays will be additionally burdened, while private doctors will be sitting at home.