(Podgorica, 15 March 2012) – Activists from MANS, the Union of Free Trade Unions (UFTUM) and the Student Union (SUM), as well as volunteers who support the March 18 mobilization, have staged a number of banner drops, as well as poster and leaflet campaigns calling on citizens to join us in Sunday in Podgorica’s Republic Square.
Banners reading “It’s Time!” were set up in several locations in Kotor, Nikšić, and Mojkovac, as well as the Lesendro castle on Lake Skadar.
In downtown Podgorica municipal services are already trying to remove posters, while the directors of some schools are pressuring union activists not to distribute propaganda materials in the schools.
MANS and the Teachers’ Union have sent a letter to the Minister of Education Slavoljub Stijepović demanding that he prevent these attacks on freedom of choice and freedom of trade union activity.
They can dismiss one teacher, but not all of them. Teaching staff and all of those who support the mass mobilization for March 18 have to know that they are not alone.
The organizers of the protest have sent communications to state institutions at the beginning of this week warning them not to violate the rights of employees to freedom of thought and speech. We firmly condemn pressures on any individual who supports these protests, while MANS and the UFTUM will extend legal assistance to anyone who has problems at work as a result of attending the protests.
