Social-Economic Council backs government measures

BELGRADE - Representatives of employers and trade unions backed at Friday's session of the Social-Economic Council the measures of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's government aimed at getting the country out of the economic crisis.

It was agreed that Vucic be appointed to the Council, replacing Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki.

Council member Ljubisav Orbovic, the leader of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia, told reporters that the draft labour bill was not discussed at the session - held in the Serbian government building - because Vucic had to visit Belgrade's flood-stricken municipality of Obrenovac.

He said that the trade unions support all of Vucic's anti-crisis measures with the exception of the 10-percent salary cuts in the public sector, which he said are a wrong measure that would lead to additional problems.

Orbovic said that he told Vucic that subsidised loans for the economy are a good solution, but that "the measure will make no sense if, as in the past, the loans are given to a privileged group of people."

Serbian Association of Employers President Nebojsa Atanackovic welcomed the government measures aimed at curbing the grey economy and said that they could produce the desired results.

Atanackovic said that it is still too early to speak of an agreed draft labour bill because no progress whatsoever has been achieved in that regard so far.

The draft bill will be discussed at the Council session scheduled for May 24, a press conference was told.

Photo Tanjug Video, camera operator Zoran Milenkovic