Thousands of Ukrainian educators, students protest funding cuts

Mar 21, 2011, 15:17 GMT

Lviv/Kiev - Thousands of Ukrainian educators and students demonstrated on Monday against planned funding cuts that the government has said are necessary to reduce the budget deficit and obtain more loans from the International Monetary Fund.

More than 5,000 people gathered in Lviv's Freedom Square to show their opposition to the education funding reductions proposed by Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

The cuts would freeze teacher salaries at 2009 levels, end payment of overtime and cancel bonuses paid for seniority. Stipends paid to university students would also be reduced.

Banners carried by the peaceful demonstrators read, 'Stop shaming us, it's your children we're teaching!' and 'You sell Europe natural gas for a European price, give us European salaries!'

Ukraine's 2011 national budget is currently being debated by the legislature.

Azarov, in a televised speech to parliament last week, said it was necessary to slash spending on education because of increased energy costs and falling tax revenues.

Reduction of Ukraine's government deficit is a key condition for the former Soviet republic to receive additional loans from the International Monetary Fund.

More protests against the Azarov government's belt-tightening measures were planned for Tuesday elsewhere in Ukraine, organizers said. mis

Read more about Demos

Read more about Ukraine Education