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Students of the Russian State Trade and Economics University call off strike, but intend to go on after Christmas

The former university rector, Sergei Baburin, called on teachers and students to call off the strike for the period of the New Year celebrations
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 27 (Itar-Tass) — The students of the Russian State Trade and Economics University (RGTEU) have suspended a strike at the request of ex-university rector Sergei Baburin, but said they would continue protests after Christmas celebrations, First deputy university rector Pavel Shevtsov declared at a university meeting on Thursday. The resolution was passed by 137 votes with 87 votes against.

History teacher Ivan Mironov told Itar-Tass that the voters who protested against calling off the strike are planning to continue the strike; neither teachers who had earlier staged a hunger strike would call it off, Mironov told Itar-Tass.

On Thursday, the former university rector, Sergei Baburin, called on teachers and students to call off the strike for the period of the New Year celebrations. In his letter, read out at a students' meeting, Baburin said: "I suggest breaking off our protest act for a while, making a New Year and Christmas break. There is no point in staging protests on holidays, and besides, the strikers are tired," Baburin said in the letter. Baburin said he would like to join the protest act himself; he does not think that the students and teachers should continue the strike while he is on sick list.

On Tuesday Sergei Baburin was dismissed from the post of the university rector in accordance with a resolution passed by the Science and Education Ministry. Andrei Shklyayev from the Plekhanov Economics University has been appointed RGTEU Acting rector.

The RGTEU students have been on strike since last week, protesting against being merged with the Plekhanov Economics University.