Charnobylski Shlyakh: April 26, at 2 p.m.

The assembly point for participants is next to Kastrychnik (October) cinema.

Today a press-conference dedicated to Charnobylski Shlyakh (Chernobyl Way) rally has been held. Charnobylski Shlyakh is to take place on Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m. All members of the organizing committee of the rally were present at the press-conference: Chairman of the movement of solidarity “Razam” Illya Dabratvor, Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party Alyaksei Yanukevich, a representative of the Belarusian Green Party Dzmitry Kuchuk, a member of For Freedom movement Yuras Hubarevich, and a co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Vital Rymasheuski. The latter told about details to charter97.org.

- Today we specified the route of the demonstration. All agreements have been signed already, all necessary sanctions received. We call upon everybody to join Charnobylski Shlyakh. We shall meet near Kastrychnik cinema, and soon after 2 p.m. the rally starts. We shall march up to Chernobyl chapel, and there will be no meeting in Bangalore Square. There we are going to lay flowers, light candles, and a one-minute silence in memory of victims and liquidators of Chernobyl disaster consequences is to be observed. We have chosen such a format following requests of participants of previous rallies, who refused the humiliating procedure of walking through metal detector archways, like it happened last year. In fact, it was impossible to hold a meeting there, as because of a large number of participants in Bangalore Square, the procedure of personal search lasted linger that the time given for the meeting. Bring flowers, candles and white-red-white flags.

- What are you going to speak about with participants of the rally this year?

- This year we have two main slogans: “No to Russian nuclear threat!” and defence of Belarusians from consequences of Chernobyl disaster. The Russian nuclear threat is a threat of Belarus’ destruction, and among other things, because of construction of a nuclear power plant in our country, and because of the new Russian military bases which appear here. Even without nuclear arms on our territory, Belarus becomes a potential target for a nuclear blow in case of war with Russia. And Russia is at enmity with the rest of the world today. And the consequences of Chernobyl disaster are experienced by each Belarusian today, unfortunately, not least because we are fed by contaminated food products, which are grown in Chernobyl zone. In the beginning a resolution against construction of a nuclear power plant, against Russian military bases, against manufacturing of foodstuffs contaminated by radiation, is to be adopted.

- Yesterday you met with city authorities. Are you satisfied with the result?

- Yesterday we had to conclude an agreement with Minsk city executive committee. At the meeting I personally said to the new police chief, Major General Alyaksandr Barsukou, that judging by the practice of the previous years, the main threat for security of participants of rallies in Belarus are policemen themselves, and there are confirmation of that in the reports of international human rights activists. They describe violence on the part of policemen, offer examples of unlawful detentions. And Barsukou said that he had not taken part in such things, as he is a new chief, and as said by him, everything would be different from now on. He also said that all the money paid to them, which is about Br14 mln, are to be transferred to the account of an orphanage. The time will tell whether it is true. We are very glad that we succeeded in receiving an authorization for holding the rally, and it is to be held while the weather is fine. We are cheerful and optimistic, and we urge everyone to join us, to bring their families, children, as Chernobyl is our common trouble, our common national tragedy. Mass rallies in our country are necessary, we should stay together, and together we should take a step to defend our country from an external threat and new catastrophes in the future, especially in the times like we have now.

A representative of For Freedom movement Yuras Hubarevich urges to stand together against the three Belarusian “Chernobyls”: an ecological, political and social ones.

- Chernobyl Way is important for each Belarusian family, as over almost 30 years which have passed since the moment of Chernobyl catastrophe, nothing has changed as far as the approach of the authorities to the society is considered. In Soviet times, in the first years after Chernobyl accident, Chernobyl Way associated primarily with an ecological disaster, with those problems and diseases which attacked dwellers of the contaminated zone, liquidators and their families. It was a proof that the previous regime, the Soviet regime, treated citizens with indifference. The authorities had not taken necessary measures in order to save lives and health of people. Lukashenka’s regime was a successor of the Soviet power, that is why in addition to “an ecological Chernobyl”, today we can speak about “a political Chernobyl”. It is manifested in such facts: Belarusian citizens are persecuted for their views, they do not have an opportunity to influence the authorities and to elect them. And the authorities, in their turn, do not hear the society, and do not want to take them into account. In recent years one can also speak about “a social Chernobyl” as well. It is demonstrated by the recent legal initiatives of the government, when they put their hands into pockets of the poorest strata of the society. Due to the unending economic crisis, the economic situation of pensioners is deteriorating – and they are the main pillar of the current regime. People, who lose jobs or have to search a new job because of low salaries, turn into “social parasites” in our country, and they have debts to the state again. All these phenomena are interconnected: the government is not under the control of the Belarusian society, and is not answerable to it. That is why when we urge people to take part in Chernobyl Way, at the same time we speak about all the three our “Chernobyls”: the ecological, the political and social ones, - the politician said.

- What is the mood of the organisers of the rally, what are you expecting this year?

- It is hard to predict how many participants are to come, but according to a forecast, the weather will not be an obstacle. People are more likely to be prevented from participation and expressing their protest publicly by the atmosphere of fear and indifference. Exactly these factors make people bear everything that is going on in the country, but we hope that people are going to take part in the rally still, as it is a legal opportunity to express their protest, to show that we all are together, that we remember our troubles and that we protest against other problems, political ones.

We remind that on April 10 Minsk City Executive Committee received an application for holding Chernobyl Way march on April 26. The organisers asked the city executive committee to hold the rally in the following format: people are to gather near October cinema from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., to march along Surhanau Street to the Church in honour of the Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking Out of the Lost", located next to the Park of Peoples' Friendship. It is decided not to hold a meeting this year. The answer of Minsk City Executive Committee with minor alterations was received on April 17.