Authorities ban May Day meetings

Minsk city executive committee has not sanctioned an opposition meeting on 1 May, says Valery Ukhnaliou, deputy chairman of the United Leftist Party “Fair World”.

According to Mr. Ukhnaliou, the meeting was banned, after it became known that another mass event was expected to be held in the same location, the city’s Nations’ Friendship Park.

Another opposition meeting scheduled for May Day was also banned by the executive officials of Mikashevichy, Brest region.

The event was aimed at expressing solidarity with the activists of the independent trade union at local Granite enterprise. According to local authorities, the stadium where the meeting was planned to be held would host a sports competition.

Mikashevichy trade union activists say they are going to appeal the ban.