Baranavichy Ukrainians apply for authorization of picket “Officials Are against Friendship between Peoples”

At the end of 2011, the head of the Baranavichy civil association “Kobzar”, Mikalai Charnavus, applied for authorization of a picket in 25 January. By means of this action “Kobzar” members intend to inform the population about the refusal of the local authorities to provide the NGO with a legal address. According to the Belarusian legislation, the Baranavichy Ukrainans (1,210 people) cannot register their association with the state without a legal address. As we have already written, the public utilities board of Baranavichy had revoked its letter of guarantee concerning the provision of office space for the NGO in Savetskaya Street, 60.

“Now we are proposed to take part in an auction and pay much money. For instance, in the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol Belarusian NGOs pay just 1 gryvnya (about 20 US cents) for 100 square meters, whereas we are proposed to participate in the auction, where office rent exceeds 10 million rubles (about $1,200). That’s why by organizing this picket we want to express our protest against the bureaucracy of officials who know that there are free offices in Baranavichy, but refuse to lend them to NGOs,” commented Mr. Charnavus.