ZAGREB, Dec 12 (Hina) - The "Protest of Awakening" against the government's economic and social policy, organised by the Association of Workers' Trade Unions (URSH) and several associations of students, the unemployed, and farmers,
ended after a half-hour around one pm on Wednesday. Journalists estimate around 600 people, mainly students and workers, rallied in front of the government building in downtown Zagreb, although URSH president Boris Kunst says the number of demonstrators was 3,000. Addressing the rally, Kunst said "present-day Croatia has no justification for resuming living in misery and poverty." The change of government in 2000 led people to believe there would be new jobs, lower taxes and the protection of workers' rights, and not mass layoffs, new taxes and reduced workers' rights, said Kunst. The protest's organisers called on MPs to join them and support their demands, but only those from the opposition were
ZAGREB, Dec 12 (Hina) - The "Protest of Awakening" against the
government's economic and social policy, organised by the
Association of Workers' Trade Unions (URSH) and several
associations of students, the unemployed, and farmers, ended after
a half-hour around one pm on Wednesday.
Journalists estimate around 600 people, mainly students and
workers, rallied in front of the government building in downtown
Zagreb, although URSH president Boris Kunst says the number of
demonstrators was 3,000.
Addressing the rally, Kunst said "present-day Croatia has no
justification for resuming living in misery and poverty."
The change of government in 2000 led people to believe there would
be new jobs, lower taxes and the protection of workers' rights, and
not mass layoffs, new taxes and reduced workers' rights, said
Kunst.
The protest's organisers called on MPs to join them and support
their demands, but only those from the opposition were present,
Branimir Glavas, Luka Rebic, and Ivan Milas of the Croatian
Democratic Union, and Vesna Skare-Ozbolt of the Democratic
Centre.
Kunst accused the ruling coalition of "being afraid of coming
before us to answer what they have been doing in the two years in
power and what the results are."
The president of a coordinating body of student corps', Marko
Potrebica, requested the replacement of Science and Technology
Minister Hrvoje Kraljevic, and improving the students' standard.
The president of the Alliance pooling associations of unemployed
persons, Miroslav Levakovic, pointed out that only 70,000 of the
385,000 unemployed received benefits.
Addresses were also made by Antun Laszlo, the president of the
Alliance of Farmers of Slavonija and Baranja, and Ante Roso, the
president of the Association of Croatian Volunteer Homeland War
Veterans.
Around 200 police trainees arrived in front of the government
building after the protest ended. They protested for not having
been employed at the Interior Ministry, despite guarantees to the
contrary.
(hina) ha sb