Slovenia protesters clash with police budget cuts

Just two days ahead of a presidential election, at least 5,000 protesters gathered outside the parliament on Friday and threw stones and bottles as they tried to push through a police cordon.

The demonstrators called on Prime Minister Danilo Turk to resign while chanting "You are finished!" and "Thieves!"

"I'm protesting against the government because they are destroying our state, our educational, health and social systems. We have to show that we are against them and that they are not untouchable," a protester said.

Police fired water cannon and tear gas canisters to disperse the angry demonstrators who were attempting to storm the parliament.

At least 30 people were arrested and nearly 50 others sustained injuries during clashes.

Slovenia became a eurozone nation in 2007 when it was one of the most prosperous economies in the 17-nation bloc at the time. However, the success was short-lived due to dependency on exports. In 2009, the economy contracted over 8 percent.

On November 17, more than 30,000 people staged a demonstration in Ljubljana to protest against a five-percent cut in public sector wages, which is planned by the government for next year.

GVN/MA