7,000 Protesters: “Liars, Liars…You Betrayed The People”

Around 7,000 angry members of three teachers unions and the nurses union chanted “liars, liars…you betrayed the people, the workers,” during a rally in the Croatia’s capital on Thursday. The rally was held in protest of the government’s decision to nullify the Basic Collective Agreement for public-sector employees.

The Unions failed to reach a deal with the Croatian government after months of negotiations. The Unions would not agree to austerity measures demanded by Zoran Milanovic’s cabinet.

Thursday’s protesters, armed with tongue in cheek comments about the government on banners, made their way to Croatian parliament where they began chanting under the window of Prime Minister Milanovic.

Milanovic responed by saying that “Protests with big words and clamour”, would not pull Croatia out of the crisis, reported website Tportal, adding that cost cutting was essential. “This is accepted by a great majority of people in Croatia, while a minority doesn’t accept it. For now I believe that it’s just that they don’t understand, that they don’t have other intentions,” said Milanovic.