1000s of Ukrainians protest austerity measures

In Ukraine, thousands of people have gathered outside the parliament building in the capital, Kiev, in protest against the government’s austerity measures.

On Tuesday, as many as 2,000 demonstrators outside the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, called on Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to end the measures dictated by international creditors.

The protesters demanded the premier to stop cutting social benefits, subsidies, and price controls on utility rates, since the state budget is expected to be slashed by 10 percent and gas prices are to become three times more expensive.

Most of the cuts are to be made in the social sector, with 10 percent of the country’s public workers expected to lose their jobs.

Students also took part in the protest, slamming a 20-percent drop in education spending, the abolition of scholarships, and a rise in tuition fees. They also protested against the closure of some 400 schools.

The demonstration comes after Yatsenyuk announced the measures designed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other creditors in return for financial aid.

According to the premier, Ukraine has “received a total of USD 9 billion in financial aid from the IMF, World Bank, and other financial institutions” this year, but has spent USD 14 billion servicing its debts. He added that Kiev would need another USD 15 billion next year.