This week in Slonim instructors of auto-schools refused to work. The teachers of auto- amateurs claim fair payment for their work. They explain that their current salary does not exceed Br 200 thousand. That results in instructor’s getting discharged, the Radio Ratsia reported.
The leader of the Young Front, Zmitser Dashkevich, who is serving the sentence of a year and a half for taking part in activities of an unregistered organization, has been given a lighter work, to saw wood. Earlier he had to carry heavy logs despite of this illness.
One of the accused in the Young Front case, Alyaksei Yanusheuski has flew from Belarus to the Czech Republic. He left the country on April 24. He went through Russia, Ukraine, Poland. It is almost the same way Ales Kazakou and Zmitser Zubro used.
16 May the expanded meeting of representatives of religious and public organizations who have participated in the campaign for protection of the right of freedom of conscience was held.
Representatives of youth organizations who had been prohibited to hold a meeting against repeal of benefits to students has decided to change the form of the action. As Radio Svaboda informs, they want to clean the Park of Nations’ Friendship.
Administration of the corrective facility No.43 of Mahilyou hasn’t allowed H.M. Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Minsk Mr. Brian Bennett and Slovak Charge d`affaires ad interim Lubomir Rehak to meet with the political prisoner Artur Finkevich.
On May 16 Belarusian students organized an action of solidarity with Belarus. They marched on the centre of Lodz towards Freedom Square under white-red-white flag, with portraits of political prisoners and abducted politicians, and lit candles on the square.
16 May the three-day visit of the former candidate President of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich finished. He came to this country on the invitation of the Foreign Office of Great Britain. Among twenty or so talks in London the most important one, according to Alyaksandr Milinkevich, was the talk with the Jeff Hoon, Britain`s Minister for Europe. Mr. Hoon is considered to be among the figures close to the presumed new Prime Minister of Great Britain Gordon Brown.
On 14 May Svetlahorsk district court fined the journalist Kiryl Ksiandzou 930 000 rubles (about 450 US dollars) under part 1 of article 22.9 of the Administrative Code, ‘violation of the legislation on press and other mass media’.
On 15 May Minsk and Slutsk metropolitan Filaret, Patriarchic exarch of the whole Belarus signed the order to prohibit liturgical services to the clergyman of St. Intercession parish of Minsk, priest Aliaksandr Shramko, and put him out of the church staff till repentance.
In April civil activity was connected with preparation and holding the second important spring action, Chernobyl Way, dedicated to the 21st anniversary of Chernobyl accident. 26 April is a tragic date not only for Belarus and the consequences of the accident still influence the ecology and the health of Belarusians. However, in the present conditions the Belarusian authorities and the democratic opposition commemorate this date separately. As the authorities fear mass street actions and any dialogue with the people, Minsk city executive committee authorized the action, but changed the route. The organizers intended to gather in Yakub Kolas Square and proceed along Nezalezhnastsi Avenue to the National Library. Instead, the officials permitted a procession from the Academy of Sciences to Banhalor Square along Surhanau Street. The action organizers disagreed with such decision and on 23 April appealed it to Maskouski court of Minsk referring to article 6 of the law On mass actions, in which it is stated that any change of the action route is to be discussed with the organizers. However, the judges considered this argument ‘insufficient’ for abolishment of the CEC ruling and didn’t grant the organizers’ suit.
Responding to the coming annulment of the transportation allowance the Belarusian youth arranges a bike ride along the streets of Minsk, the Young Front invites the students on 23 May, the day of consideration of the issue of preferences annulment at the “house of representatives”, to travel in Minsk only by bicycles, roller-skates and skate-boards.
A group of public activists with portraits of abducted and imprisoned politicians marched along central streets of Mahilyou. For the first time activists managed to walk together without close observation of policemen.
The MFA of Germany reported that the country supported the proposals of the International Labor Organization (ILO) regarding Belarus, thus, it would not object expelling of Belarus from the General System of preferences. Meanwhile, Germany is for partnership cooperation with Belarus on the basis of ”acknowledgement of the major European values”.
On May 16 Belarusians in Warsaw marked another Day of Solidarity with Belarus. Several dozens of members of the “Union for Democracy Support in Belarus” and students under Kalinouski program held a rally near the Belarusian Embassy in Warsaw. Young people marched under white-red-white flags up to the building of the Embassy. Then they covered part of the Embassy’s fence by a huge, 10-metre long white-red-white flag. 16 candles were lit near the flag in memory of victims of Lukashenka’s regime.
On May 16, on the Day of Solidarity with Belarus, an action of solidarity Czechs, Poles and Belarusians gathered on Krizovnicka Square near the Charles Bridge to express their solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners and their families was held Czechs, on Krizovnicka Square near the Charles Bridge.
16 May the traditional action of solidarity with the Belarusian democrats, prisoners of conscience, families of the disappeared politicians was taken. This time the young writers both Belarusian and Ukrainian joint the public representatives in the action.
On May 16 an action of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners, abducted oppositionists, with all who struggle for freedom and democracy in Belarus, was held in Washington. The action was organized by an initiative “We Remember” and organization “Pohlyad”.
On May 16, on the Day of Belarusian Solidarity, young people gathered near the Bernardine monastery and St. Joseph’s Church in Minsk at 7 p.m. Young people have chosen this place for holding monthly solidarity action for the second time, because Minsk authorities don’t give up their intention to destroy the Catholic sanctuary which is a unique monument of history and architecture.
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