Labour minister of Rostov Region: hunger-striking miners-pensioners can get social help from the budget

Elena Skidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development of the Rostov Region, said that according to the regional law on addressable social help the miners-pensioners who are holding their hunger strike in the city of Zverevo can receive social benefits.

According to Ms Skidan, "the addressable help is provided to those, whose average income per capita is below the minimum subsistence level." "Residents of Zverevo are invited to address our employees and obtain consultations on provision of help in each particular case," said the Minister.

In her opinion, "the protesters demand compensation of their expenses on heating, however, it has nothing to do with social protection and the regional budget. It is the mine, where the hunger-strikers had worked, to deal with the compensation. As we know, the Governor of the Rostov Region gave corresponding instructions to settle the situation."

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in mid-January in Zverevo a meeting was held of the protesters with the officials of the Regional Ministry of Labour. According to Valery Dyakonov, a deputy of the municipal duma of Zverevo, "representatives of the authorities had promised to render the social help to prevent pensioners from starting their hunger strike. However, social help can't settle our problem - failure to enforce court decisions. Therefore, the miners refused from social help."