Hrodna Authorities Intend to Evict Four Public Organizations with Court Assistance

Hrodna Leninski borough housing exploitation service sued to Hrodna Regional Economic Court with the request to evict four public organizations, including the local branch of Belarusian People’s Frond “Adradzhenne” from the building in Karl Marx Street, 11. The trial was appointed on 8 February.

In his suit the head of the exploitation service Anatol Litvin referred to the conclusion of the institution “Hrodna Civil Project” that the building was in the state of emergency and its further exploitation without repairs was impossible. He asked the court to break the agreement with the public associations and evict them from the occupied premises.

At present the boards of three branches of BPF have the juridical address in Karl Marx, 11. They are: the board of Hrodna regional branch, the board of Hrodna city branch and the board of Hrodna Leninski borough branch. Hrodna city Committee of the Party of Communists of Belarus, historical and cultural club “Pakhodnia” and a building shop are also situated there. Strangely enough, the authorities have no pretensions only to the shop, because it is a private property. The shop continues its work despite the emergency state of the building. Representatives of all of the evicted organizations are sure of the political motivation for their eviction.

The leader of Hrodna City Board of BPF “Adradzhenne” Mikola Voran has repeatedly stated that the authorities wanted to deprive them of the juridical addresses. He had an audience with the head of the board of Hrodna City Executive Committee on privatization Sviataslaw Karpinski, but it gave no results. Mr. Karpinski said it was very difficult to find a place for office to rent, because 40% of buildings belonged to public utilities. He said they would try to
help but it would be better if the public associations found the new addresses on their own.

Mikola Voran, in his turn, says members of the BPF branch are not going to leave the building if the authorities don’t give them another juridical address.

RFE/RL