Zelva authorities refuse to rename Savetskaya Street in honor of Larysa Heniyush

Some time ago, a local activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, Yauhen Skrabutan, addressed the Ministry of Culture and the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly with the proposal to rename Savetskaya Street in the town of Zelva into Larysa Heniush Street (in Honor of the Soviet dissident and Belarusian poet Larysa Heniyush who had lived in the town for a long time). I think that It would be a good gift for Zelva citizens on Larysa Antonauna’s 100th birthday.

An appropriate letter was also addressed to the Belarusian Orthodox Metropolitan Filaret. The priest was informed that the orthodox Sent-Trinity Church was standing in Savetskaya Street, bearing the name of the state that considered religion as a hostile institution. However, no answer has been received so far.

The state institutions, in their turn, forwarded Skrabutan’s letters to the Zelva District Executive Committee and the Hrodna Region Executive Committee.

’I would understand if they had said that there wasn’t enough financial means for renaming the street, but I regard their position that the name ‘Savetskaya’ inspires optimism among the majority of citizens as a cynic insult of admirers of Larysa Heniyush’s poetry and a peculiar ‘dance on the bones’ of millions of victims of Stalin’s repressions,’ commented Yauhen Skrabutan.

Having received the answer of the authorities, the activist has started collecting the signatures of dwellers of Savetskaya Street for renaming it in honor of Larysa Heniyush.