The ballerinas of the Parisian opera danced the Swan Lake in the cold, protesting against pension reform (photo, video)

The artists of the Paris National Opera on the eve of Catholic Christmas spoke for free before the public in the center of the French capital in protest against pension reform declared by the Government. About 40 ballerinas performed an excerpt from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake” in front of the Paris Opera building, on the facade of which banners with the inscriptions “Paris Opera Bastost” and “Culture are in danger” were posted.

The ballerinas chose the fourth act of one of the most difficult ballets, which they danced "in marble, in the cold," writes Le Monde . One of the participants in the performance

According to the 23-year-old participant in the performance of Eloz Geokville, the entire troupe of the Parisian opera suffered from the pension reform. Until now, a special pension regime has been in force for them, which allowed to leave the stage at 42 years and receive 1 thousand euros monthly due to an increased risk of injuries and the difficulty of continuing work after 40 years.

The singers of the Parisian opera officially retire at 50. Other France ballet troupes do not have such privileges, they are content with fixed -term contracts before the general retirement age in 62 years, TASS notes.

“I entered the ballet school at the age of 8, left my family and began to take a course of study. After five hours of dancing per day, at the age of 17-18, many of us have chronic injuries, inflammation of the tendons, tired fractures, knee pain. Many of us do not even have undergraduate,” said Eloza Zhokokville ( Inopressa translation).

The dancer and representative of the Opera Pension Fund Alexander Carniato, who remained a year before retirement, said that the ballerinas should not be forced to dance up to 64 years. "From the age of 8 we were inspired that we have an honorary mission and that we would dance for the Paris Opera, which represents France," he said.

???? The Paris Opera's Ballet Dancers are on Strike AGainst AUSTERITY PIC.twitter.com/r3q0qtkizb

- Eric Blanc (@_ericblanc) December 24, 2019

Le Ballet et l'orchestre de l ' @oparadeparis interprèted un Exteat du "lac des Cygnes " survis de l'Opéra Garnier #reForMEDESRETRES #Greve24Decembre @france3paris @lacgtcommunique @unionidaires pic.twitter.com/0vaf8qgtbm

- ?????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????? (@emmtix_) December 24, 2019

Retraites: Les danseuses de l'Opéra de Paris interprèted le lac des Cygnes survis du monument pic.twitter.com/u5zedgk85q

- BFMTV (@BFMTV) December 24, 2019

The Paris Opera and the Comedy Frances Theater are the only cultural institutions that the government’s pension reform can affect. The Paris opera has been beating for fifteen days, which led to the abolition of 45 performances and losses of 8 million euros. Only the abolished shows of the opera "Prince Igor" brought an average of 358 thousand euros of losses for each of the evenings.

According to the General Director of the opera, Stefan Lissner that the losses from the sale of tickets by the end of the year reached 12 million euros, taking into account the probable cancellation of the performances on December 31, writes Le Figaro . Lissner noted that now working capital, which gives the institution a certain calm, is now in danger.

The perpetual strike against pension reform has been going on in France since the beginning of December. The French were outraged by the government’s plans to abolish 42 special pension regimes, thanks to which employees of individual industries can now retire earlier and at the same time receive more. In addition, the government extended the period of pension contributions for all citizens.

Reform is aimed at preventing a multi -billion dollar deficit in financing the pension system. The strike was supported by public transport workers, teachers, doctors, energy, truck drivers, air traffic controllers, police officers, lawyers, firefighters, garbage bins and workers of other spheres.

According to the head of the French state-owned SNCF company Jean-Pierre Farand, the strike of railway workers costs 20 million euros per day. The company's losses over almost three weeks of protest amounted to 400 million euros.

In the past, the striking completely stopped the operation of the oil refinery near the city of Laver in the south of France. The Union "The World Confederation of Labor" (CGT) talked about plans to stop the processing of fuel at three more enterprises, which is why the production of fuel in the country will be halved.

In mid -December, activists blocked access to seven of eight French oil refineries. Although their activities did not stop entirely, the protest had a serious impact on fuel reserves in France.

Despite the appeal of French President Emmanuel Macron to declare the Christmas Earth, a series of protests against pension reform continues throughout the country. Trade Unions refused to stop the indefinite strike of railway workers and employees of the Paris transport company RATP. Because of this, public transport in Paris goes with serious interruptions, and on weekends it almost completely stops working, writes the Russian RFI service.

The strike also led to large losses for owners of shops and restaurants. According to the Association of small and medium -sized businesses, they lose up to 200 million euros per day.

Against the backdrop of protests, the Supreme Commissar of France on the preparation of pension reform, Jean-Pol Delwois, resigned. The formal reason for his departure was suspicion of a conflict of interests. The media wrote that, as a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, Delwois held a number of posts in private structures, for example, at the Institute for Education of employees of the IFPASS insurance system.

Delvua said that "under these aggressive and false blows, trust in him was weakened," and without it it is impossible to carry out a reform that various social groups would adopt.

The French president, in turn, refused a lifelong pension , which he has the right after 2022. According to the law of 1955, the former heads of state, when leaving their post, receive a lifelong subsidation, the equivalent salary of the state adviser - 6220 euros per month. Macron also decided in the future not to sit in the Constitutional Council of France. Former presidents of the country are lifelong members of this council with a reward of 13.5 thousand euros per month.