“Belarusian language festival” in MAZ Palace of culture thwarted

“The festival of Belarusian language” in Minsk was in jeopardy because of denial to lease premises.

As informed by Radio Racyja, this year for the first time it was planed to organize the holiday officially and for a great number of people. In the Palace of Culture of MAZ (Minsk Automobile plant) the ceremony of giving awards to representatives of different professions, who by their daily example promote Belarusian language use, was to be held, as well as a concert of Belarusian musicians. Tickets were sold well, and the hall with 700 seats was to be full.

However, unexpectedly for the event’s organisers, two days before the event the administration of the Palace of Culture cancelled the contract.

“We were simply told that there won’t be a concert. So we will return tickets,” told one of the organisers of the event Kiryl Shyk.

The concert was hastily transferred to the Belarusian State University of Culture. It was held in a closed format.

The concert was visited by the Minster of Culture Paval Latushka. However, as said by one of the participants of the event, a musician Aleh Hamenka, the high guests hadn’t said a word. “It seemed a little bit strange,” the musician said.

One of the organisers of the concert, Paval Karalyou, was among the people summoned to the administration of the university after “The festival of Belarusian language”.

“They asked me to give explanations why we decided to help n organisation of this concert, and who invited “Budzma” campaign to this festival,” Karalyou said.

The organisers do not rule out that special services became interested in the details of the gig.