The Croatian Employers' Association and the Croatian Tourism Association asked the government on Friday to urgently adopt a decision to raise the quota for foreign workers, saying the tourist season was at risk due to a labour shortage.
In a joint statement, they said the opening of some restaurants and bars before the peak tourist season was in question. "There are no local employees and the quotas for foreign workers have been filled, which requires an urgent response by the Labour Ministry and the government."
The two associations said "the minister in charge and the government have turned a deaf ear" to weeks-long appeals to help the tourism sector. This has shocked the sector as it is a matter of technical changes which do not require additional budget spending, they added.
The associations recalled that last autumn they warned that the import of foreign labour was a short term solution to the labour shortage and that it was necessary to reduce administrative obstacles.
They said the biggest loser of the labour shortage was the state as tourism generated 20% of GDP. (Hina)
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