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Education, health services in general strike in Kosovo

Xinhua, January 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

Most of teachers and medical staff in Kosovo joined strike on Friday called by trade unions which follows disputes with the government over salaries, meals and some other benefits that are stipulated in a national collective contract.

Thousands of pupils were affected as hundreds of schools didn't work on Friday.

Apart of them the medical personnel is also in a general strike, and services are offered only in emergency cases. The 24-hour strike in medical sector started at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday with a notice letter placed in almost all medial medical entries.

The Head of teachers' union, Rrahman Jashari, said that the one day strike is a consequence of government's lack of reflection. He insists that if their demands are ignored by the government they will respond with other actions.

"I hope that after this strike the government of Kosovo will sit with the education trade union to discuss the matter and find a solution," said Jashari.

The strike hit elementary and secondary schools, as teachers request a fulfilment of the governments' decision for a 25 percent increase of salaries as of January 2015. With a new government in place following early general elections in June 2014, the new "Prime Minister," Isa Mustafa, made clear that due to budgetary limitations the increase cannot happen in 2015.

However, the Ministry of Education says that authorities are working in finding a solution, but they need more time for it, as the new government has less than two months in the office.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008. Serbia categorically refuses to recognize its independence. Endit