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The Committee notes that the Government’s report contains no reply to previous comments. It must therefore repeat its previous observation, which read as follows:

In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government states that it is not currently in a position to provide information that would enable the Committee to assess the application of Articles 13, 14 and 18 (in relation with Articles 19 and 20), as well as Articles 21, 23 and 24(2) of the Convention, in view of the difficult political and economic situation experienced by the country. With regard to the draft text to add to the schedule of occupational diseases, in accordance with Article 8 of the Convention, diseases caused by the toxic halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series and diseases caused by benzene or its toxic homologues, the Government undertakes to transmit the extended schedule of occupational diseases as soon as it has been adopted by the National Labour Council.

The Committee notes this information. It hopes that, despite the current difficulties, the extended schedule of occupational diseases will be adopted in the very near future in order to give full effect to Article 8 of the Convention and that the Government will make every effort to provide information concerning the application of the other provisions of the Convention referred to above, as requested in its 1995 observation. The Committee would also be grateful if the Government would indicate any progress achieved in the formulation and adoption of the new Social Security Code.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.