Homel Resident To Officials: Pack Your Bags

Homel protesters claim that protests will escalate.

A Homel resident, who today participated in several thousand strong protests, said that to Radio Svaboda. The Charter97.org site reported the event online.

– Authorities are trying to explain to us the provisions of the decree. They want to tell me: "you are a slave, and we'll explain to you why." Kachanava arrived and said: "You are a slave."

And they have written to me from the tax office, that this is a "motivation to work"(the tax on "parasitism" – Ed.). And you know what? My first desire was to come to the man, who wrote that, to take a stick in my hand and to offer him: "Make me some tea, and if you do not make tea, I'll break your crown." It's my motivation.

– Why did you come here today?

– Because I'm not a slave. I am a citizen, and I am against this decree. No one, not a single official in this country can forbid me to be where I want to.

– Have you received a notification on the tax payment?

– Yes, I have. I have received a notification on the payment of the tax on "parasitism". I was in Germany, the letter came by post. I immediately appealed against it at one of the instances, and then sent my appeal to the regional office. I'll sue. But I believe that it is necessary to have our say not only in courts, but at every possible way. But we must not go and humiliate ourselves before them, Kachanava or at the executive committees. It’s just disgusting to look at those, who do it. They (officials) have created this problem, adopted the decree, and now they are offering us to talk about our "difficulties." It's just a shame.

I have some difficulties, but I am not going to tell them. Repeal the decree! And not a month later, but right now, tomorrow.

– Can the decree be repealed due to the protests?

– Of course. And the more people join us, the better it is for us. If 50 thousand come out in Homel, I will give them a piece of advice straight away: pack your bags and go somewhere, I do not even know where to. Hugo (Chavez – Ed.) died, there’s a row with Russia. I do not even know where they will go.