The restructuring plan for the Uljanik group must ensure the long-term sustainability of Uljanik in order to permanently preserve jobs in Istria, both for workers in the shipyard and for cooperatives, is one of the conclusions from the meeting of the Economic-Social Council (GSV) of Istria County held on Thursday in Pula ahead of the General Assembly of the Uljanik group scheduled for Friday.
GSV proposes to all stakeholders in the restructuring process, owners, the Government, the Management of Uljanik, unions, Istria County, the City of Pula, and the workers themselves to “enable the continuation of production for the further development of the Uljanik group and the preservation of jobs”.
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– The Uljanik shipyard is a strategic company for Istria County and a leader in shipbuilding in the Republic of Croatia. It is one of the larger manufacturing companies in the country, building highly sophisticated ships, export-oriented, and employing 4,453 workers and 1,900 cooperatives who work directly on the ship, it was emphasized at the GSV meeting.
The Council recommended to the Assembly of Uljanik d.d. to choose a future strategic partner that will continue to engage in the construction of highly sophisticated ships and the development of new technologies and activities related to the shipbuilding industry.
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GSV members discussed the situation in Savudrija Bay at the meeting, and the president of the Fishermen’s Guild of Istria County, Robert Momić, submitted a report on fishing in that area. He stated that there are 30 fishing businesses in the Savudrija area, where fishing and shellfish farming are the main activities and sources of income for numerous families. In 2016, 75 tons of fish were unloaded at the unloading site in Savudrija, excluding farmed shellfish.
GSV of Istria County is requesting both the Croatian and Slovenian governments to reach an agreement as soon as possible on solutions that will allow fishermen to fish freely, farmers to cultivate land, and citizens on both sides of the border to live peacefully and harmoniously. In addition, it also proposes an urgent statement from the Croatian Government regarding the resolution and annulment of fines that fishermen received from Slovenia.
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At the meeting in Pula, new leadership for the GSV was also elected. Rajko Kutlača, head of the office of the Union of Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, was elected president, while Boris Sabatti, director of the Istrian Development Agency (IDA), was elected vice president on behalf of Istria County, and Nenad Seifert, director of HUP, regional office in Rijeka, was elected vice president on behalf of employers.
The Economic-Social Council is an advisory body of the Istria County Assembly established to establish and develop tripartite dialogue. Its members are elected from the ranks of unions, employers, and Istria County.
