The government has betrayed public servants, the leaders of three teachers' union and a nurses' union said at a protest rally in front of Government building on St. Mark's Square on Thursday.
"The government has betrayed nurses, teachers, scientists and other employees in the public sector", Anica Prasnjak said on behalf of the nurses' union, which was met with loud approval of protestors.
She believes that the crisis is not being borne equally and today's protest indicates a class conflict between the rich and the poor.
President of the Croatian Teachers' Union Zvonimir Laktasic recalled some details of the coalition government's pre-election Plan 21, which identifies science and education as key economic drivers. He said the government, by undermining employees in this sector, is dragging the country deeper into a chasm.
President of the Independent Secondary School Employees Union, Zvonimir Mihalinec, added that the government has not betrayed the upper class or bankers and some stakeholders in the media, particularly the press owned by Europapress Holding.
MHS union leader Vilim Ribic announced that today's rally was just the beginning of actions planned and that they would climax before the school year's end. Ribic continued to attack the government's austerity measures stating that they denounce social democratic principles.
Unofficial estimates in the press note the number of protestors varying from over 5,000 and some even state 10,000.
