Minsk center dwellers protest against violent eviction to outskirts

Minsk dwellers are evicted from the city center to new houses. But people, having lived all their lives on Marx Street, don’t want to move to the Minsk outskirts. They lose more than USD 100.000 from move.

The market price for a square meter in the houses on Karl Marks Street is USD 3700. A square meter in bedroom community Loshytsa (this district was mentioned by the city officials) costs USD 1700. As a result a dweller loses from USD 100.000 to 250.000, “KP v Belarusi” writes.

A rally of Marx Street dwellers took place at 1.00pm on 2 February. They protested against move to outskirts. About 300 people gathered near the Grunwald cafe, ”Nasha Niva” reports.

The people carried hand-made posters “For pedestrian zone without outrageous eviction,” “Alyaksandr Rygoravich, defend pensioners,” “Nobody will evict and make us move from here” (with the note that it is a quotation from “A ruined nest” by Yanka Kupala).

Writer Uladzimir Arlou, who lives on this street, carried posters “Only in native apartment I will write a bestseller.”

The street residents show much resolution. According to them, they “will lay down their lives but won’t move out.” It is said, one of them, who went into debts to buy an apartment on Marx Street, is ready for self-immolation.

According to an architectural plan, Marx Street (by the way, the President’s Administration is situated here) is to become a pedestrian zone. And the dwelling houses are to be turned into a three stars hotel, a casino, and a shopping center. The house 21 is to be ruined, and a parking area is to be built here.