WEAPON PRODUCERS STILL PROTESTING

B92, Serbia
Dec 26 2006

KRAGUJEVAC — About 100 workers of the Zastava weapons factory are
protesting in front of the local municipal building.

They are protesting the fact that the state has prohibited weapons
exports to Armenia.

The workers are demanding that the Serbian Government pay reparations
for the prohibited exports and the implementation of the investment
plan worth 279 million dollars.

Union President Jugoslav Ristic said that the strikers are doing
alright.

"Because of the lack of space, only 71 protesters spent the night
in the municipal building. Now there are more than 100 of us, but at
night we will have to cut down the number because we do not have the
conditions to keep more people here. We will stay overnight here as
long as it takes." he said.

He said that he talked unofficially with Labor Minister Slobodan
Lalovic, who said that the government has understanding for our
problem.

"The government can certainly fulfill our demands, we are owed
58 million dollars for exports. Also, this factory has specific
products which operate on a rigid system of licenses, the state can
always stop the export of weapons, but that means that it must take
responsibility. We respect the list of sanctions and prohibitions,
but Armenia is not on any of those lists." Ristic said.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress