(Podgorica, 16 March 2012) – The government is increasingly afraid of the upcoming protest on March 18, including the arrival of many workers from the north of the country. As a result the government is attempting to obstruct the mass mobilization in any way possible.
Even though MANS, the Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro (UFTUM) and the Student Union (SUM) have raised enough money to ensure the transportation of citizens from the north, a number of bus carriers have cancelled previously concluded arrangements at the last minute (claiming other obligations suddenly).
In spite of the above, the protest organizers will not stop in their efforts to help the workers, unemployed, students, housewives, pensioners, etc. who want to come to Podgorica this Sunday to tell the government that they are no longer willing to acquiesce to the status quo.
We are also calling on the citizens of Berane, Bijelo Polje, Rožaje, Plav, Mojkovac, Kolašin, and Pljevlja who are planning to come on their own accord to the mass mobilization in Podgorica, to also help with the transportation of those citizens who will be waiting at the bus station on Sunday morning.
The protest organizers have also received information that many municipal services, as well as the directors of some schools, have declared March 18 (a Sunday) a working day; threatening that employees who attend the protest may face dismissal or reduced salaries (all in the attempt to prevent them from attending the protests).
We call on all government agencies to refrain from attempts to blackmail, threaten and spread fear among their employees, and call on the Labor Inspectorate to ensure that those who are forced to work on Sunday are adequately compensated. We also call on any citizens who encounter problems as a result of attending the protests to contact us directly and to count on our support.
The government should know that regardless of their efforts they will not succeed in intimidating or stopping us from mobilizing on Sunday to tell the government – it’s enough already, THE TIME HAS COME!
