News on the topic: benefit cuts
09.07.2008 Minsk authorities ban assembly of the initiative for return of social guarantees
Minsk city executive committee banned the assembly of the Initiative group for realization of the right of legal initiative for introduction of amendments and supplements to the law On the state social benefits and guarantees to certain categories of citizens. The initiative group consists of hundreds of pensioners, disabled, students, workers and clergymen, who intend to struggle for the social guarantees which were liquidated by the state authorities in the beginning of 2008.
22.02.2008 Salihorsk: New Action for Protection of Social Guarantees?
The coalition of democratic forces have applied to the town authorities for authorization of an action against the liquidation of social guarantees. The applicants have little hope that the action will be permitted, because in the recent years the authorities have turned down more than 100 applications of democratic activists.
01.02.2008 Monument to Social Benefits Demolished in Pruzhany
On 27 January in the town of Pruzhany youth activists of the United Civil Party put a monument to social benefits, which had been liquidated by the Belarusian authorities short before this. It was a concrete slab with the following inscriptions: ‘We love, remember and grieve’, ‘Benefits – 1975-2007”. Participants of the ceremony of the monument’s opening commemorated the lost benefits with a minute of silence and then laid flowers to the slab. The action was timed to 40 days after liquidation of the social guarantees.
14.01.2008 Baranavichy: Court Upholds Prohibition of Pickets against Repeal of Social Benefits
On 11 January the court of Baranavichy and Baranavichy district turned down the suit of an activist of the united democratic forces, member of the Party of Communists Belarusian, engineer Viktar Tsiapin against the ruling of Baranavichy city executive committee concerning the order of holding mass actions in the region.
17.12.2007 Belarusians deprived of their last benefits
Commutation tickets, benefits for veterans, and cards for free medicines are no longer in force since December 17th. The number of people with benefits for utility payments, health care and communication services has been reduced.
14.12.2007 Only 2 out of 800 Picket Applications are granted by Belarusian Authorities
The local authorities have granted only 2 out of about 800 applications for pickets against the repeal of social benefits. Let us remind that on 16 December, on the eve of the benefit cuts, adherents of oppositional parties and organizations are going to hold many social pickets.
12.12.2007 Baranavichy: Authorities Pressurize Picket Applicants
Applicants for holding pickets against repeal of social benefits in Baranavichy were reached on the phone by local officials and offered to give up the idea of holding the actions.
11.12.2007 Brest Authorities Ban Pickets
Brest executive committee does not let the activists of the united democratic forces to hold pickets against the repeal of the social benefits on 16 December.
03.11.2007 Stanislau Kavaleuski Detained
In the morning of 2 November in Mahiliou the police detained the youth activist Stanislau Kavaleuski. Kavaleuski and his friends were going to the university, when a police car approached them. The policemen told that the youngsters reminded of the robbers who had committed a crime half an hour ago. The students were taken to a police station. There the policemen searched their belongings and found in Kavaleuski’s bag leaflets with the heading ‘The authorities rob the students!’
08.10.2007 Svetlahorsk: Police Look for Mineral Fertilizers in Bookcases
In the evening of 5 October in Svetlahorsk the police searched the apartment of a local democratic activist Telman Masliukou. They said that they were looking for canisters with mineral fertilizers.
03.10.2007 Brest: Picket against Repeal of Social Benefits Gathers More Than 200 Participants
On 30 September, 3 to 5 p.m. at Locomotive stadium in Brest a picket against the repeal of social benefits was held. Only one picket out of the planned 39 was authorized by the executive committee. The action was attended by about 200 local citizens and 60 activists of the United Civil Party, Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, Belarusian People’s Front, the Party of Communists of Belarus and the trade union of radio electronic industry.
24.09.2007 Opposition Member Gets to Emergency Unit from Dazhynki Festival
The paramedics diagnosed a hypertension stroke
04.07.2007 “Liquidator” NGO Denied Registration
The Ministry of Justice denied registration to “Liquidator” non-governmental organization. The founding conference of the participants of liquidation of consequences of Chernobyl disaster took place on May 19th , in Minsk.
04.07.2007 Navapolatsak: Protest Action on Independence Day
One more picket of protest against benefit cuts was carried out in Navapolatsak yesterday. Such actions are carried out in this city every day since June 27th
