Croatia's Postal Service to cut jobs

Croatia’s state-owned postal service said it was to cut some 700 jobs by the end of the year as part of restructuring aimed at meeting European standards.

“Our strategy for the next four years includes a program to optimize the number and structure of employees according to new organization and market demands,” Croatian Post (HP) said in a statement.

The 700 would be released by the end of the year to “implement a strategy which in the liberalization of the market allows it to survive,” HP spokesman Filip Smerdelj told AFP.

Smerdelj declined to comment on local media reports that around another 500 workers would lose their jobs next year. The HP currently employs more than 12,000 people.
The HP, which provides postal and financial services, has been an independent shareholder company since 1999, when the Croatian Post and Telecommunications split into two.

Croatia hopes to become the European Union’s 28th member by 2011.