22:00, 22 November 2010

Georgian trade unions started fund-raising to pay off the ransom for the Georgian sailors

Georgian trade unions decided to start fund-raising to pay off the ransom for the Georgian sailors captured by Somali pirates, Irakly Petriashvili, Chairman of the Association of Trade Unions of Georgia, reported.

"The Association asks the society, the authorities, ordinary citizens and businessmen for solidarity. It is very difficult to pay to a terrorist or robber, it should not be done but the civil sector and the Georgian Government must do their best for release of the captured sailors", Petriashvili said.

A special Fund of Solidarity has been created for fund-raising. Any volunteer can remit money on the banking account of the Association of Trade Unions of Georgia. Two charitable concerts will also be given this week. The Association has appealed to sailors' trade unions of foreign countries for support, too, "Novosti-Georgia" reports.

According to Petriashvili, "there is no exact term of pay-off and the pirates no longer threaten with killing the sailors". He emphasized that the pirates were just waiting for receiving money.