Homel "Rescuers" Sent To Clean Yards With Vehicles Before Lukashenka's Arrival

"Rescuers" did not come on duty.

On April 26, Lukashenka paid a visit to the Homel region. A letter from a Сharter97.org reader tells how local officials were "whipping into shape" before the dictator's arrival:

"Because of the arrival of Lukashenka in the Homel region, in particular the nearest districts of the city of Petrykau, all organizations (and even those that are not related to agriculture) are being urged to restore order at the yards with vehicles at the collective farms!

This applies even to the employees of the Leshoz, OSVOD (a lifesaving society) and other organizations that were supposed to be on duty. Everybody runs and cleans... It's just a madhouse," – the reader wrote.

Charter97.org gives reference:

The object and purpose of the OSVOD, in accordance with the Charter approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of November 19, 2004 No. 1473 paragraph 9, is the greatest possible reduction in the likelihood of death of people on the waters in the Republic of Belarus.

Involvement of non-core organizations to restore order before the arrival of the dictator is a common practice in Belarus.

On November 18, in the village of Bushauka in the Buda-Kashaliou district, a former rescuer of the Emergency Ministry died tragically: the 33-year-old Homel dweller was sent to clean the roof of the barn, from which he fell and crashed to death.