Albania ammo blast workers on hunger strike

TIRANA, June 7 – Seven former workers of the Gerdec army depot which exploded March 15, killing 26 and injuring 300 persons, have gone on a hunger strike.
The group is demanding the government keep its promise and compensate them. They want a 300 euro pension for the people who died in the explosion, 3000 euro compensation for each family displaced by the blast and a year of financial assistance of roughly 120 Euros a month.
The governing Democratic Party’s representative, Astrit Patozi, said the government was already compensating the families and accused the opposition of politically exploiting the situation.
Dismantling some 100,000 tons of excess ammunition is one of the main duties and priorities for the Tirana government while it awaits NATO membership next year. (Tirana Times Staff)