MOLDPRESA EMPLOYEES DEMAND CHISINAU AUTHORITIES TO RENOUNCE ENTERPRISE LIQUIDATION

Workers of the Moldpresa enterprise demand the Chisinau authorities to desist from attempts of liquidating the company and leaving the people without jobs.

Member of the company team Svetlana Baschir said at the Wednesday’s press conference that lately the kiosks of the enterprise are being evacuated from the city historical center and most of central streets of the city sectors.

“These actions of local authorities were agreed neither with the Moldpresa staff, nor with its leadership. Most of workers are the elderly, who worked in the company for 20 years. In their age it is unreal to find a job in Moldova, while they have families and responsibilities to them. In total, 800 people will lose jobs. These are not just kiosk sellers. Workers of the name-sake printing house will also lose jobs. We demand to stop this mayhem and start a dialog”, she said.

According to deputy head of the Moldpresa trade union organization Elizaveta Iorgu, the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova is closely monitoring the conflict.

“People have been legally working and paying taxes for many years. By what right are they deprived of work and livelihood? Chisinau with its 176 press kiosks is already the Europe’s most modest city in terms of printed press sales volumes. Why are we pushed away from the labor market? We demand a dialog to be started to find a civilized solution to this problem. Our attempt to talk to the Chisinau Municipal Council Secretary Andrian Talmaci failed”, she said.

Iorgu said that after the Tuesday’s picketing of Chisinau City Hall, the enterprise employees intend to take a two-three-day timeout to try to start a dialog with the local administration.

“If they decline dialog, we reserve the right to continue protests”, said the trade union activist.