Teachers plan fresh protests for Tuesday

Dissatisfied teachers have organised public protests to take place in Bratislava, Košice and Ružomberok tomorrow, April 5, the Slovak Teachers Initiative (ISU) announced on Friday. "Our demands haven't been met yet, so it's necessary to remind those responsible that our strike alert is still in place and that we're angry", stated the organisers. The Bratislava leg of the protests should begin in front of the Government Office on Freedom Square (Namestie Slobody) at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, with the protesters then set to march towards the Education, Science, Research and Sport Ministry on Stromová Street. The Ružomberok protests will begin at the same time at Park Š. N. Hýroša and in Košice on the main street near Dolná Brána likewise at 4 p.m. Teachers demand that the salaries of all teaching and other expert staff at primary and secondary schools should be increased by €140 per month this year, and by €90 per month as of 2017. Education Minister Peter Plavčan told TASR that this is an irrational move as new discussions with the group have only just begun. "...before I've managed to launch a dialogue on what can actually be done, a certain group of teachers has already announced a demonstration", said Plavčan.