[size=75:3lg2gumq]Focus news 21 March 2010

Thousands of people protested for their social rights


Thousands of police officers, taxation-agents and militaries gathered in front of the building of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in the capital city Sofia on Saturday. They gather to express their dissatisfaction over the measures, proposed by the government, which regulates their heath insurances and annuities to be paid off from their salaries, i.e. their incomes will decrease. Most of the protestors are carrying national flags and a loud music is plaid.
Police officers from different parts of the country arrived to support the protest of their colleagues in the capital.
The Trade Union organization of the Ministry of Interior insists on equal standard for all employees in the Ministry of Interior, improvement of the material technical base, real and effective dialogue with the management of the Ministry of Interior and starting administrative reform in the Ministry.
The protest is about to kick off. The police officers are accompanied by their families. The Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov is expected to join the protests.
Chairperson of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva received in her office representatives of the police trade union.
The letter that the police unionists delivered to Mrs. Tsacheva contains concrete problems on which the trade unionists insist for discussion. These are lack of effective dialog, outdated material-technical base and lack of administrative reform. The trade unionists told Tsetska Tsacheva they hadn’t put issues concerning payment in the letter in view of the current economy situation. The Chairperson of the parliament promised to assist within her competence for the necessary legislative changes. The trade union federation of the Ministry of Interior insists on organization of round table discussion on the problems that have collected in the past 20 years.
“We will seek solving the problems we have”, Mrs. Tsacheva said.
Tsetska Tsacheva said that the government of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) pays special attention to the people who work in the fields of security. In her words these are the main structures that must bear the brunt of the fight against organized crime and corruption.
It is normal everyone to express his/her demands about everything that is happening in the county. I have always said – we should be realists. The check up shows there are naked contracts for over BGN 2 million. This is a hidden deficit, which the government should pay, the Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov told journalists, FOCJS News Agency reporter informs.
I think understanding should be showed when we say we will not loose the social acquisitions of the colleagues and the militaries in Bulgaria. The state cannot give higher salaries. Tsankov stone worth EUR 460 million – this is the budget of the Ministry of Interior.
The amendments made to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code will improve the work of his colleagues.
“When the President is making a statement, I should say, that it 1996 when I was an employee in the system of the Ministry of Interior and officer my salary was USD 7. When was the President then? My colleagues had loans,” Tsvetanov said.
Tsvetanov said further that everything, which concerns the social acquisitions of the police officers will be kept: their salaries, compensations, holidays, labor categories.
The protest is underway.