Ranogajec: There is no conflict between me and Maras, only different opinions

The President of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK) Dragutin Ranogajec stated that he regrets today’s statements by the Minister of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Gordan Maras and the attacks on HOK, but that there is no conflict between him and Maras, only different opinions.

– There is no conflict between the Ministry and us, between the minister and me, I assert responsibly. However, there are different opinions. My goal is to protect the interests of Croatian craftsmen – said Ranogajec in a statement to reporters in front of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts, after a press conference by Minister Gordan Maras where he presented the proposal for a new Crafts Act.

HOK has requested the withdrawal of the proposal for that law, and earlier this week presented the results of a survey among craftsmen showing that craftsmen give unconditional support to the demands and comments of HOK on the proposals for the Crafts Act and the VAT Act. The survey also showed that only one in ten craftsmen is satisfied with the work of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts and that craftsmen are ready to support HOK’s demands through protests if other negotiation methods do not yield results.

Minister Maras, when asked for a comment on HOK’s survey at today’s press conference, said that he does not want to engage in polemics with HOK, nor comment on their research, but that he regrets the lost time, that the law has not yet been passed, and that due to these discussions with HOK, 200 to 300 people now have enforcement proceedings against their homes.

Maras finds it incredible that HOK is requesting the withdrawal of a law that would allow people to not have enforcement proceedings on their properties and to be able to exercise their rights at the Employment Service.

– It is not my job to protect the interests of individual people in HOK – said Maras, who believes that the main disputes with HOK are the reduction of the chamber contribution and the direct election of HOK leaders.

When asked for a comment on the minister’s statements, Ranogajec said that regarding the chamber contribution, they accept more rational spending.

In the election of HOK leaders, the method of election is not disputed, but we ask who will pay for it, how will craftsmen know who is the best among, for example, 50 candidates, and we do not have an answer to that, he said.

He reiterated that craftsmen demand that legal entities engaged in activities related to crafts must, like craftsmen, have a qualified person employed. This is consumer and professional protection, says Ranogajec.

– Craftsmen are also against the proposal for unlimited performance of all craft activities through home production and secondary occupations. If everyone can do everything, then what is the purpose of crafts and commercial companies, let’s all go into home production and secondary activities – said the president of HOK.