19:59, 20 September 2007

Miner dies during protest action in Rostov Region

In the city of Zverevo, Rostov Region, a participant of the picket of former miners who demanded from local authorities to respect their social rights and guarantees deceased.

Today, Mikhail Kravchenko, 60, a miner-pensioner and a participant of the protest action, has suddenly died directly in the square, where the protest action was held. None of the power officials went out to talk with the picketers or participants of the hunger strike, the Radio Liberty informs.

According to the "Rosbalt," in Zverevo, Rostov Region, twenty-two miners are on the third day of their hunger strike, and other miners are holding a round-the-clock picket in the city centre. They demand from the authorities to strictly and rigorously observe the Russian legislation and to enforce the decisions of several courts on providing privileges to former miners in payments for coal to heat up their houses.