Rising social protests in the Balkans

[Hannah Bell]

Political and social unrest has increased in the Balkan region during the past weeks and months. Young people in particular have protested against the corrupt elite layers in the former Yugoslavian federal republic which, at the behest of the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, have enforced drastic austerity programs with calamitous consequences for the population.

In Croatia, protests continue against the administration of Jadranka Kosor, but currently with significantly less participation. While 10,000 demonstrated last month, the current protests involve just a few hundred...Particularly those under the age of 30 are affected by unemployment, whose official level is almost 20 per cent. A further ten percent of Croats work but do not receive any wage or receive payment only sporadically.

In Montenegro several thousand people also protested every week against political corruption and social decline. They followed an appeal on the internet network Facebook, calling for a peaceful demonstration “against the mafia” in front of the parliament building in the capital city of Podgorica...

The Serbian government itself is confronted with growing popular unrest. In late March more than 10,000 public servants protested in the capital of Belgrade against low wages and miserable working conditions. Doctors, policemen and other public servants joined with protesting teachers who have been struggling to obtain pay raises since January. The teachers’ protests were supported by many of their students...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/apr2011/balk-a15.shtml

[aquart]

1. IMF. Ah.

Thieving bankers stole the world's prosperity. And none of them are in jail.

[Romulox]

2. BOMB them! It's the law! nt