During the fights and clashes between demonstrators and police forces the Trade Union House in Kiev was completely destroyed by a fire. Today several hundred trade union workers remain without workplaces and all documents, furniture, office equipment etc. have been lost.
Last Sunday Kiev's Independence Square turned into a giant memorial complex. People gathered in thousands to honour the dozens of people who have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and the police forces. What we all witnessed from the mass media during the last week and from the current situation in Ukraine is the most serious crisis since its independence in 1991. In the course of the last decade there have been political scandals, fraud and corruption in Ukraine, which has led the country into a devastating shape and increased the frustration among the public. This frustration culminated with the refusal of former President Viktor Yanukovych to sign an association agreement with the European Union. During the fights and clashes between demonstrators and police forces the Trade Union House in Kiev was completely destroyed by a fire. Today several hundred trade union workers remain without workplaces and all documents, furniture, office equipment etc. have been lost. Our Member Organisation the Trade Union of Education Employees of Ukraine is therefore asking for help to restore its activities in full.
ETUCE has expressed its concern, support and compassion as well as condolences to our colleagues in Ukraine and to the concerned that have lost members of their family in the terrible incidents in the Independent Square. The country has been weakened and ETUCE can only hope that Ukrainian citizens will remain united and overcome the tragically events. ETUCE will continue to follow the developments and encourages its Member Organisations to support our Ukrainian colleagues by all means including financial assistance to rebuild their union capacity. A coordinated call for solidarity assistance with the Ukrainian colleagues is being issued to the ETUCE Member Organisations in due course.