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Some 2000 Unionists Converge on Kosice to Protest Against Austerity Package
Friday 01 Octtber 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Kosice, October 1 (TASR) - Some two thousand trade unionists from across eastern Slovakia converged Friday on Kosice to stage a protest march and rally aimed against the measures planned to be taken by Iveta Radicova's government in social area.
"The package of measures being prepared by the Government will directly impact on people. According to our calculations, it will cost each family as much as €400 a year. We believe that things can be conducted in a different manner - through taxing capital, progressive taxes, varying VAT rates, abolition of temp work and other measures," said Emil Machyna, head of the KOVO metal-working union.
Machyna rejected Premier's allegations that unionists are not receptive to negotiations. "We have our own proposals which do not affect common people," he said. Machyna too stated that the unionists are aiming to warn Government of their opposition to her measures as well as bring to mind that the ruling coalition parties should keep their election programme. "Everyone made pledges not to raise taxes. They vowed to carry out measures based on government's savings and public procurement procedures," he said.
Friday's unionist congregation was calm and free from incident. It was the first protest action to be followed by the one due to take place on October 8 in Zilina and on October 12 in Bratislava.
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