Croatian employers demand coffee shop, restaurants and gym openings on February 1st, and Banovina fears worker displacement

Last year has left a big scar on the economy. By October 2020, 800 workers lost their jobs in Croatia every day, and every third worked for a minimum rate. The earthquakes that have hit Banovina since December 29, have additionally encouraged the displacement of the population from that part of Croatia, which is already one of the poorest parts of our country.

In the Sisak-Moslavina County, the earthquake killed about 900 out of a total of 1,250 companies. Employers say they would be brought back into business life by serious tax burdens and state aid in relocating to new business premises as well as expanding businesses. - Construction companies will have to work for years on repairing the damage, and here we see an opportunity to employ the local population. Rapid education and employment in remediation works can help keep a large number of people in their homeland. This is crucial for the economy of this area in the transition period, until the companies that normally employ the majority of the workforce get back on their feet - said the President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Luka Burilović on Tuesday, January 12, at a meeting of state officials, county leaders, HGK, HOK- a, HUP and representatives of financial institutions and companies from the Sisak-Moslavina County.

The main conclusion of the meeting was that the priority is to keep people and workers in the affected areas. The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Tomislav Ćorić, said that in addition to the renovation of residential buildings, he would work on the renovation of production capacities. - MINGOR will soon announce a tender for increasing production capacities and equipping facilities, ie digitalization. Our goal is to have around one billion kuna of funds. Companies in this area will have priority. An intervention tender of 10 million kuna for the purchase and repair of machinery and equipment, ie equipping business premises, will be announced for local craftsmen - the Minister explained, noting that the state will provide everyone with temporary accommodation until a permanent one is built.

While Sisak-Moslavina County is struggling with the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake, employers in other parts of Croatia fear extending existing National Staff measures. At least until the end of January, restaurants, cafes, gyms, fitness centers remain closed, and in business circles it is already mentioned that these measures could last until March or April. The Voice of Entrepreneurs association believes that starting at the beginning of February, they should gradually open closed facilities by force of opportunity.

- There have already been cancellations, and there will certainly be more. We currently have 160,000 unemployed, hopefully the number will not exceed 200,000. But it seems to us that nothing is ruled out. The situation is really difficult, with help it is late, only one quarter received grants for the eleventh month, only a few of our members for December. We also believe that now is the time for a 13 percent VAT reduction for everyone in the tourism sector, which should, for example, include travel agencies that record a drop in traffic of as much as 80 percent, many are closed, and those trying to survive breathe on appliances. Entrepreneurs have, therefore, exhausted all their stocks, and help is coming in handy - warns Hrvoje Bujas, president of the Voice of Entrepreneurs association, through the media.

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