Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentarians on Thursday criticised the proposed amendments to the employment stimulation legislation, describing them as cosmetic changes that cannot halt negative trends in unemployment which, they said, was rapidly rising due to "failed economic policy".
"What in the world are you doing in the government and what is your purpose?" Djuro Popijac, (HDZ), said today in parliament, warning that in the last seven days another 8,000 Croatians were left without job.
"If you keep moving in this direction, the number of the jobless will exceed a record high 400,000, for the first time since 2002", the HDZ MP said.
Popijac went on to say that the measures to recruit people with no work experience were unsuccessful as they were aimed only at the public sector, while employers in the real sector were not encouraged due to the current government's doubts that they would misuse such measures.
"The result could not have been better, with such belittling of entrepreneurs", he said.
He also criticised the Labour Minister Mirando Mrsic for changing the legislation every five months.
On the other hand, another opposition party, -- the regional HDSSB party, announced its support to the proposed amendments, with an explanation "half a loaf is better than none".
