Authorities waiting for social protests

• 11.12.2007, 11:23

The Brest executive committee refuses activists of united democratic forces to hold pickets against repeal of the social benefits on 16 December.

As of morning of 11 December, 6 of 64 applications for holding pickets in the area capital were refused, Lyudmila Dzenisenka, first secretary of the Brest city committee of the Party of Communist Belarusian, said to BelaPAN.

The answers are the same: “Refused in holding an action on the pointed address in accordance with article 5 of the law “On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus” (the article regulates form of application for holding pickets) and with the decision of the City Executive Committee on permanent place for holding mass events in Brest.”

According to L. Dzenisenka, the pickets, which were refused, were planned to be held near big shopping centers of the city. The only permitted place for holding public and political mass events in Brest is the stadium “Lokomotiv.”

“We sent three applications for holding pickets on the stadium, too, but haven’t yet received answers. But I don’t exclude the officials will find some irregularities there. In my view, the authorities are simply afraid of mass expressing of protest against repeal of the social benefits and curtailing of social programmes. We think it could be a large action of protest in Brest if all applied pickets are held. Because the coming into force form 17 December law “On State Social Benefits, Rights and Guarantees for Some Categories of People” has aroused negative reaction of practically all common people,” L. Dzenisenka noted.

It should be reminded that 130 applications for holding pickets against repeal of social benefits on 16 December were filed. More than 1.000 of applications was made in Belarus.