Builders Remove Equipment from Kurapaty

Foreman states that today work will not be carried out.

About 30 people spent the night in a protest camp set against the construction of an office centre in the Kurapaty preservation area, Zyaleny Luh, Minsk. The eighth day of protests was marked with a small victory, Radio Svaboda reports.

On Monday morning builders went away from the site, BAJ Press-Secretary Barys Haretski writes on Facebook. At 7.45 two workers left the construction site. Protesters greeted them with applause. Following negotiations with Dashkevich foreman stated that the work would not be carried out that day.

It will be recalled that the tent camp has held the line near the construction site. On Sunday there was a prayer in the camp.

- Ask God not to let Belarusians perish, but give them strength to resist this construction! God, Save our country! Andrei Kim called the believers.

Anastasia Dashkevich addressed to the Belarusians with moving words.

Singer Pyotr Klyoeu also had a word. He sang his songs and wished patience and strength for further resistance.

There was an incident. On the same day a drunk young man came to the camp and began swearing. Activists of the Young Front took him out of the camp. Then he approached two people in plain clothes and shook their hands.

As of Monday morning there are about 50 protesters in the camp, including Ales Belyatsky, Zmitser Dashkevich, Pavel Sevyarynets, Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu. There are also people in plain clothes who just observe the situation.

Sevyarynets said that despite the suspension, protesters would stay, because "our slogan is better safe than sorry": they want to be sure that no construction to be continued.

The Organizing Committee of the Kurapaty protection meets today at 1 pm in the Office of the BPF (Minsk, Chernyshevskogo str., 3-39). On March 1 the locals plan to have a meeting with Aliaksandr Shorets, Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee.