For the first time in 35 years, Romania's school year will open with protests in front of the Victoria Palace, the Cotroceni Palace, and the Prefect's Offices, because the government 'completely neglects' Education for a very small financial stake, president of the Federation of Education Free Trade Unions (FSLI) Simion Hancescu declared on Friday, after the meeting of union and employer organisations' representatives with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

The education unions are calling on the prime minister to reconsider the recent measures envisaging the education system, threatening street protests if this doesn't happen.

The meeting took place on the topic of the 2nd package of fiscal-budgetary measures the Executive is about to adopt.

'Today, the ministers gave a brief presentation of the package the government is to pledge responsibility for in Parliament, the second batch of measures. I refer strictly to my intervention: what I reproached the prime minister was that we expected this second package to go back on the measures taken in Education, to give up certain measures, because the way things stand at the moment, this system is the hardest hit,' Hancescu said. 'I did not go into many details, yet I told him that as an effect of these measures there are children who will have to walk considerable distances through wooded areas, even areas with bears. (...) Also, there are these chaotic mergers between schools located 5 kilometers apart. This is no more management - to save RON 300, when you have to hire a deputy director, that's how much you gain from a merger,' declared Hancescu after the meeting.

He also told the prime minister that the unions would not sit idly by.

'The education system will be disrupted next school year, because there will be perpetual protests. I told him very clearly: for the first time in Romania in the last 35 years, the opening of the school year will take place in front of the Victoria Palace, in front of the Cotroceni Palace, in front of the Prefect's Offices, completely different from what we were used to see and that, in fact, the government is completely neglecting Education for a petty financial stake,' Hancescu explained.

The union leader said that nearly 30,000 people from Bucharest and across the country are expected to participate in this protest.

According to the FSLI president, the prime minister's response to the grievances was 'off topic'.

'He said that he has seen all kinds of tricks by which the number of students per class was reduced and the number of teaching loads was increased. But it's only logical that the moment the number of students per class decreases - and we are just getting closer to normal countries, from 24 - 26 students per class - extra classes and extra positions appear. He did not actually respond to the subject and, as you already know, he claimed that the teaching load in Romania was much below the EU norm, which is not true. The teaching load was already in line with the EU, now we are at the top, but with the meagre Romania-specific pay,' Hancescu also pointed out.

He said that street protests are unavoidable if the government does not reverse the measures.

According to Hancescu, the prime minister told the trade unionists to send their amendments to the political parties to table them to Parliament next week. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Alina Novaceanu; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)