Minsk centre occupied by riot police

Metro trains did not stop on stations on Monday afternoon, May 14, and people were searched in Minsk cenre.

The measures were taken ahead of the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Belarusian head of state Alyaksandr Lukashenka to Victory Square in Minsk. They were going to lay flowers to the Eternal Flame Monument.

A reader wrote to TUT.BY:

“Access to Victory Square was blocked with metal barriers. All people wanting to pass through the square should pass through metal detector gates and undergo a search. I took a photo and two men in mufti came up to me and asked why I had photographed. I asked why they were so interested in it and they replied they were preparing for Nazarbayev's visit. The photo seems to have passed censorship, so they decided not to delete it. Policemen are polite, but insistingly search people's bags and pockets. Fire trucks are standing in yards. A large number of police can be seen. People in mufti are standing along the street looking at roofs. Metro trains do not stop on Victory Square station, all public offices are closed on the square: we were going to a bank, but bank staff was closed in the building and clients are not able to enter.”

We remind president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev is on a visit to Belarus on May 13 – 14. The presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan had an unofficial meeting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Officials talks are being held today.