The presidents of the cleaners and house maids union in Greece Konstantina Kouneva was splashed with acid last night in front of her home, when she was returning from work. The 44 year old Bulgarian was attacked by two unknown men, who were in a car and threw acid at her face. The woman is in critical condition in the Athens “Evangelismos” hospital. She has lost one of her eyes and is in coma. According to the doctors Konstantina has small chances for survival and if she does she will be handicapped.

Konstantina Kouneva was threatened several times before the fatal attack, announced the vice presidents of the union of the cleaners and house maids in Greece Vaso Tzouni. Tzouni herself was also threatened just like other colleagues of hers. According to Tzouni the crime was done by employers who hire cleaning personnel for big sites.

Two of the biggest Greek syndicates of public and private employees expressed their resentment by the attack, which they characterized as murder attempt. Both syndicates speak of Konstantina Kouneva with great respect – she had great syndicate experience and with her activity she has probably interfered into a big employers interests. According to the Communist Party in Greece Kouneva’s attackers were professional killers.

Konstantina Kouneva arrived in Athens during 2001 with her son and mother. She has a history degree. In Greece she starts working in a storage room of a supermarket but after a year and a half she was fired. Then she becomes a cleaning lady. The company, for which she works serves the electric train station in the Northern suburb Marousi and the office of the car traders federation.