VZCZCXRO9311
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0713 3411137
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071137Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9705
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000713
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR AF ECON
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - December 07, 2009
1. (U) Croatia's ICJ Oral Argument in Support of Kosovo's
Declaration of Independence: Croatia is scheduled to give its oral
argument in support of Kosovo's declaration of independence on
December 7. Croatian media speculated that Belgrade will react
negatively to Croatia's presentation at the ICJ.
2. (U) FM Jandrokovic and President Mesic's Public Statements on
Troop Increases for ISAF: When asked over the weekend about possible
troop increases from Croatia to the ISAF mission FM Jandrokovic said
that "it is too early to talk about this." He noted that "we need a
government decision first and then a two-thirds majority in the
Sabor." President Mesic, speaking to the press on December 5, stated
that "there is no possibility of Croatia sending additional troops
to the mission in Afghanistan at the moment," but that "we can talk
about it again next year."
3. (U) Croatian Parliament Adopts New Labor Law: The Croatian Sabor
passed a new labor law on November 4. The law establishes the
maximum number of hours per week at 40, with a maximum of 8 hours of
overtime. An amendment was also adopted stating that pregnant women
should not work night shifts unless they request it and receive a
physician's approval. The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP)
and Croatian labor unions criticized the law because it did not set
limits for the period of time workers can perform temporary
contractual labor without the promise of full-time employment.
FOLEY