Ukrainian Coal Miners Readying for Protests

DONETSK. Oct 10 (Interfax) – Up to 25,000 Donetsk coal miners may take part in the October 13 protests, Deputy Chairman of the Coal Mining Trade Union’s Central Committee Leonid Davydov told Interfax.

Davydov said they would demand more funds for the coal mining industry.

“Budget funds planned for 2006 will put the national coal mining industry on the brink of extinction. The special fund to finance the coal mining industry is not reliable enough. The coal mining industry will have no money if funding is done via the special fund. This fund has never been full. Besides, There are a number of other problems. New salary arrears have been amassed, although 80 million hryvni still remain to be paid on earlier debts,” Davydov said.

The protest will be held in Chervonograd on Monday, in Novovolynsk on Tuesday, in Donetsk on Thursday and in Luhansk on Friday. On October 20, the coal miners will picket the governmental and parliamentary buildings.