Lukashenka’s administration denied premises to BPF party
- 17.10.2008, 10:04
On October 16 the Belarusian popular Front party received answers from the Administration of the president and Minsk city executive committee that they are denied renting premises for celebration of the 20th anniversary of the party.
The Belarusian Popular Front party planned to hold a great solemn festival in the House of Culture of MAZ (Minsk automobile plant) on October 19 in Minsk. They filed an application addressed the administration of the House of Culture on September 9. As a reserve variant is the hall of Johannes Rau Minsk international educational centre, where an application fro renting premises has been sent too. Till now the BPF Party hasn’t received any answers from the MAZ House of Culture or from the educational centre.
At the same time, having experience of receiving permission for renting premises only after agreement of the Presidential administration and Minsk city executive committee, the Belarusian Popular Front party addressed these institutions on September 15 with an appeal to assist in renting premises or giving any other room.
Letters received from the administration and city executive committee are classical bureaucratic “kiss-off”. The administration forwarded the application to Minsk city executive committee, while Minsk city executive committee informed that “finding a place of holding a meeting is a task of persons responsible for organizing and holding this event”.
The answers of the presidential administration and Minsk city executive committee have been commented by the leader of the party Lyavon Barshcheuski in the following way: “the regime is afraid to give premises even for celebrations of the Belarusian Popular party which have a solemn and retrospective character. It demonstrates once again that no liberalization is taking place in the country”.