Chechen state servants complain about forced subbotnik

Employees of state institutions of the Shelkovskoy District of Chechnya have stated that participation in the subbotnik was compulsory for them: people went out to clean the streets, fearing to lose their jobs.

Large-scale subbotnik was held on March 21; people removed garbage from roadsides and tidied the streets.

Employees of the budget-funded sector have complained about forced participation in public works. "We were at the subbotnik all day ... We cleaned the ditches and bushes, and removed garbage. Participation was mandatory," said Sultan, an employee of a local enterprise.

"Bosses know that people have nowhere to go; there are problems everywhere, and they do everything they want. They force us to go to subbotniks, rallies and other events," Ibrahim, another local resident, has added.

"We still are happy that we were not forced to subbotniks in winter; and the weather is now normal. Everything should be in moderation. Once a quarter or half a year, this is understandable, but not more often," said Adam, a local.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in February, mass subbotniks with the involvement of employees of state institutions were held in the Gudermes District of Chechnya, where municipality leaders announced a month of subbotniks.