YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND ASSISTANT LECTURERS STAGE PROTEST IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, July 1 (Hina) - Trainees in the science sector and assistant lecturers began a protest in Zagreb on Thursday morning to point out their unenviable material and social position. Some 300 protesters marched from the offices of the Independent Trade Union of Scientists toward offices of Zagreb University Rector. After that they are planning to head toward the building of Science and Technology Ministry and city authorities. The Scientists' Trade Union, which staged this protest, also organised a strike of assistant lectures at faculties and colleges. The Union's leader, Vilim Ribic, addressed protesters in front of the Union's offices, saying that the purpose of Thursday's action is to prevent cuts in science and to ask for more favourable loans to be granted to young scientists and university professors for houses and flats. They would like to get subsidies for food in students' restaurants and reach a solution to housing problems of young scientists. They also staged the protest to ensure that the number of dormitories' beds would not decrease in the next school year and that they would be allowed to stay in dormitories during the World Military Games in the Croatian capital. There are about 2,000 young scientist trainees and assistant lecturers at Zagreb University and institutes in the city. (hina) ms