17 November 2009, 23:00
In Rostov, pensioners-miners protest against cancellation of privileges
On November 16 in Rostov-on-Don over thirty pensioners-miners held a picket against cancellation of privileges. The former miners of the city of Zverevo were not allowed to hold their protest action at the building of the administration and told that the square was prepared for the New Year fair.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the pensioners-miners had been struggling for privileges in payment for communal services, which were cancelled after adoption of the Federal Law "On Monetization of Privileges" for many years. Former miners and widows of their perished colleagues have been holding pickets, rallies and hunger strikes for a long time in the city of Zverevo; however, since no measures have been taken, they decided to start picketing the regional administration.
They were planning to picket the building of the administration and notified the authorities in due time. However, on Monday, November 16, in the morning, officials from the Mayoralty forbade the picket under the governor's windows, having explained that the New Year fair would take place right there.
Militiamen did not allow the pensioners-miners to unfold their posters and squeezed them aside in direction of the city administrations. The Radio Liberty reports that after moving to the new place the participants of the protest action all the same managed to express their demands.
