Povod za najavu tih protesta bio je stand-by aranžman s MMF-om iz jula, kad je zemlja pristala smanjiti plaće u javnom sektoru i socijalne naknade za vetarane invalide iz sukoba 1992-1995, kako bi od Fonda dobila približno 1,2 milijarde eura.
The announcement of the protest was sparked by a stand-by arrangement with the IMF in July, when the country agreed to cut public sector salaries and welfare allowances for disabled veterans from the 1992-1995 conflict in order to receive approximately 1.2 billion euros from the Fund.