In Kaliningrad, a vocational school staff protests against the transfer of the school building to the Church

After the administration of the Kaliningrad region announced its intention to transfer former buildings of Catholic and Protestant churches into the ownership of the Russian Orthodox Church, a conflict arose around vocational school No. 5, located in the former pastor's house and community house. Representatives of the Kaliningrad diocese suggested that the director of the school, Sergei Bushuev, sign a deed of gift for these premises. The director refused and resigned.

On October 22, 2010, the teaching staff of the school held a pre-strike meeting and announced their intention to go on a hunger strike if the buildings were taken away from the vocational school.

“We understand that the church is a good thing, but our work is no less a good thing,” said Svetlana Balashova, chairman of the vocational school labor collective council, in an interview with Gazeta.Ru . “Difficult children from all over the region come to us, and we teach them the most in-demand professions are welder, mechanic, auto mechanic, and telecom operator. We are giving children a working profession, which, by the way, President Medvedev recently spoke about.”

Sources

• Fichte M. The Russian Orthodox Church in Kaliningrad bypassed the eighth commandment // Gazeta.ru. 2010. October 23.