Trial over Batskaushchyna to be Held on December 5

Minsk economic court has appointed the time and date of the hearing about canceling of a lease contract with the World Association of the Belarusians “Batskaushchyna”. The hearing will take place at 2.30 p.m. on December 5 in the building of Minsk economic court. The case will be considered by Judge Melnikava.

Batskaushchyna has got literally 5 days to prepare for the trial. Two of the 5 days are Saturday and Sunday. The Association was informed about the hearing only on November 30, in a letter that the court had received a suit from Minskaya Spadchyna state-owned company, which is the owner of the building where the association has an office.

The World Association of the Belarusians “Batskaushchyna” received the right to lease the office for 25 years (until 2018) in Revalutsyinaya Street, 15, according to the Ruling of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus and the order of Minsk municipality. None of the documents lost validity.

This year the owner has made a decision to reconstruct the building and asked all tenants to leave their offices. Batskaushchyna was not an exclusion. On August 7 it left the office for the period of reconstruction (which, in fact, never began).

Batskaushchyna is ready to present its opinion about the situation in court. The NGO hopes to prove that there are no legal grounds for canceling of the lease contract, e.i. depriving the NGO of the legal address.