Securing the payment of wages for the workers of the clothing manufacturer Varteks by the Agency for the Protection of Workers' Claims and a possible reduction of working hours are the measures with which the state can help these workers, said caretaker Minister of Economy Damir Habijan on Monday.

Habijan made this statement in Varazdin in response to questions from reporters about the current situation in the private company based in this northern Croatian city, whose workers have been on strike for a week because they have not received part of their wages for February and wages for March.

The management of Varteks should contact the agency so that the workers can receive their wages

The minister said that all stakeholders must know the relevant laws and how the state can help the workers of a private company.

At his meeting with trade unionists last week, measures that the state can take and that have been agreed with the European Commission were presented.

One of the measures is contacting the Agency for the Protection of Workers’ Claims and the other is the reduction in working hours agreed with the European Commission, he said.

It is up to the management of Varteks to submit a request to the agency so that the workers can receive their wages by the end of the week, he said.

“I hope the management will do that. In this way, three wages would be secured for March, April and May. After that, the measure of reducing working hours can be applied if necessary. This is the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour,” Habijan said.

Every department is important, decision lies with the Prime Minister

When asked to comment on prime minister-designate Andrej Plenkovic, who had confirmed that Habijan would be a member of the new government but would head a different ministry, Habijan said that every ministry was important.

The reporters also wanted to know whether, according to unofficial information, he was ready to take over the Ministry of Justice. In response, Habijan said that only the prime minister-designate could decide on the new members of the government and that their names would be known by the end of the week.

Asked whether he would favour the environment or justice ministry, Habijan said he was ready for any challenge.