Euronews TV Channel Tells About Strike That Is To Happen In Belarus Since November 1

Belarusians were called to stay at home.

Chairman of the Belarusian Workers' Association Siarhei Dyleuski announced that a nationwide strike would begin in Belarus on November 1, and urged residents of the country not to go to work, reports the Euronews TV channel.

The strike was announced due to the fact that the Belarusian authorities do not fulfill the demands put forward by the Belarusian Workers' Association. Among the demands - an end to repression and the release of all political prisoners; bringing salaries, scholarships and pensions in line with the real economic situation in the country, as well as the beginning of direct negotiations between the government and the democratic forces on holding new presidential and parliamentary elections.

Siarhei Dyleuski in a video message posted on YouTube said that the authorities were not going to satisfy these demands.

“This cannot go on any longer. It's time for workers to take the future into their own hands. We have no right to drag on while our relatives, friends and associates are in jail, while our mothers and sisters, brothers and fathers are dying in overcrowded hospitals from the coronavirus,” says Dyleuski.

The leader of the Belarusian Workers' Association said that production across the country would be stopped until each of the 10 demands was met.

“The regime is weak and helpless as never before, the sanctions are finishing off the Lukonomy before they have entered into full force! We are ready to change our country, we are ready to say “Stop torturing us,” we are ready to drive the last nail into the coffin of this regime!” the statement reads.

Siarhei Dyleuski led the strike of the Minsk Tractor Plant during the mass protests after the announcement of the results of the presidential elections in Belarus. However, in October last year he was forced to leave the country.

In October, in an interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Dyleuski said that he did not want to leave, but the authorities left him no choice:

“I was recognized as an extremist, a criminal case was opened against me. To be honest, I didn’t want to leave Belarus, I talked about this with my colleagues on strike, they decided that I should leave to continue my work,” Dyleuski said.

He said that he maintains contacts with workers of more than 20 state enterprises.

“We have our own people at the most important industries in all regional cities of the country. Today we already know that the employees of many Belarusian factories are ready to completely stop work,” said Dyleuski.

In August last year, the Minsk Tractor Plant suspended work due to a strike.

Prime Minister of the Republic Raman Halouchanka came to meet with the workers. Strikes took place at many enterprises in Belarus.