Minsk Residents Set Themselves Against Border Committee

Residents of Karl Marx and Kirov streets are struggling with densification in the center of the city.

Further infill construction is taking place in the very center of Minsk. Residents of houses in Karl Marx and Kirov Streets united against an unexpected neighbor – the Border Committee, which had planned to construct a building right in the courtyard of residential buildings. Residents understand the strength of the opponent, and therefore invited Belsat to give coverage to their struggle.

Secrets are the norm for the Border Committee, even in situations when they are obliged to notify residents about plans for infill construction, they do not do this, thus violating the rights of citizens.

What and where is being built?

The Border Committee is going to construct a four-story regime building in their incapacious courtyard. Residents have insisted on organizing a meeting with representatives of the Border Committee to express their indignation.

"In the two millionth city, there is no place for the Border Committee. That’s funny. Do not densify the place! As, when this building is constructed, we will live like in "Matrosskaya Tishina." Only the sky will be left. At the all four sides, there will be the well courtyards." Therefore the population is against, of course," – local resident Tatsiana Khamenka explains.

It was outraging that the residents found out about the new building when the trees were being cut down.

It has turned out that in 2013 there was a public discussion of the project, but the residents call it illegal and they want to cancel it.

"None of the residents of our houses were present at that public discussion, and as a result, this project was approved, and we are confronted with an accomplished fact," – house resident Tadevush Struzhetski says.

The residents note that officials violate their rights with the infill construction, worsen their living conditions, change the historical center: all the buildings in the district are on the list of historical and cultural heritage.

Minsk people are not going to accept the situation

"No one preserves anything, so we will continue to insist on canceling the project completely, we want them to do everything in such a manner that would not violate the rights of anyone," – Larysa Stadnik, another dissatisfied resident of the house, says.

Border Committee representatives did not enter the discussion at the meeting and only stated that the residents' points had been heard.

But are the involved institutions going to make concessions to people or, according to the customary scheme, they will defend state interests?