Henadz Fyadynich: “It doesn’t matter soap or honey is on a noose”

Rates of state duties on registration of political parties, trade unions, NGOs and foundations have bee reduced in Belarus.

The rate of the state duty on registration of political parties and their unions (associations) has bee reduced from 50 to 20 basic units, on registration of international and national NGOs, republican trade unions and their associations – from 25 to 10 basic units, on registration of local NGOs and their unions (associations) – from 10 to 5 basic units, Interfax reports.

Alena Yaskova, the lawyer of the Belarusian Democratic Trade Unions Congress, laughed as she heard the news.

– I “like” when our governmental bodies take some steps and demonstrate these are steps toward democracy,” she told “Salidarnast”. “For example, they adopted the rules in summer, under which political parties and trade unions do not have to apply to the tax service themselves. But nothing has changed. Now they reduce duties rate, but do everything possible not to allow registration of parties! For instance, the Belarusian Labour Party was unlawfully denied registration... Actually, decrease in duties is very good news. But it won’t simplify the registration procedure. Our state and government are pretending to make democratic steps, but they are just cosmetic changes in the legislation.

It doesn’t matter soap or honey is on a noose, – thinks Henadz Fyadynich, the head of the Radio Electronic Workers Trade Union. – If the principle of registration was changed, it would be progress for NGOs and political parties. But the actions taken do not change anything! Has a sum of duty ever been an obstacle to registration? Reducing duties can be called a cosmetic step! This has been made only to put a mark.