Bulgarian Pensioners Rise Up against Poverty, Humiliation

Society | April 18, 2013, Thursday // 15:37
Bulgaria: Bulgarian Pensioners Rise Up against Poverty, Humiliation The protesters were mostly representatives of pensioners’ organizations expressing their discontent with the social policies of the former government of Boyko Borisov. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Scores of pensioners rallied in protest against poverty in front of the Council of Ministers building in Sofia on Thursday.

The retirees especially protested against a discriminatory statement of former Prime Minster Boyko Borisov, who recently said that “pensioners had eaten up the country's fiscal reserve”.

“We are not cannibals, Boyko, in fact we are hungry and very poor,” the banners of the pensioners read.

The pensioners argued that it was inadmissible for a former Prime Minister and current candidate for the same post to go as far as to blame the poorest social group for the "eating up" of the country's fiscal reserve.

The protesters were mostly representatives of pensioners’ organizations expressing their discontent with the social policies of the former government of Boyko Borisov. But they were also joined by young people, unhappy with the social policy of the latest government.

“My pension was increased by 7 lev (3.5 euros). It was really humiliating,” one of the elderly protesters commented.

The pensioners wanted the opportunities to have access to medical care and medications that they can’t afford with their extremely low pensions.

The protesters slammed what they called the callous attitude of the caretaker prime minister Marin Raykov towards their demand for a two-two moratorium on their utility bills.

Bulgaria will hold crucial general elections on May 12.

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Tags: pensioners, pensions, retirees bonus, Christmas bonuses, protest, rally, Totyu Mladenov, Labor Minister

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