Students made to sign petition condemning EU sanctions

• 15.02.2011, 14:35

The first petition was prepared by the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President.

The statement says students stand against sanctions, which were worked out on collaboration with the Belarusian opposition. “Opposition members too often followed not interest of the people of Belarus, but their own interests. We are convinced that these people try to satisfy their ambitions by discrediting reputation of their native country. We deplore the fact of creating a biased image of the Republic of Belarus: according to information from the people, whom nobody in the country knows, believe, and respect”, the petition says.

According Andrei V., a 4-year student of the Academy, vice rectors responsible for ideology talked to students and called to raise their voices against the EU sanctions. “We were told the Academy was the first to made such a statement and other universities would follow the example. Members of the trade union and BRSM (a pro-presidential youth organization) and those living in hostels must sign the petitions first of all. The administration representatives said one would face problems in summer exam session if he or she refused to sign. Most students didn’t argue and put their signatures”, the student said.

The BRSM department in the Academy denied to comment on this fact, but noted it was a document to spread inside the country, not abroad. Nevertheless, the statement appeals to Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. By the way, official media have been obliged to publish the petition, Belsat TV channel reports.