Students protest: stage for Culture University remains unfinished for 6 years already

Since its inception, the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts hasn't had its own stage, where students, including those who are prepared to work in the theaters, could show their skills or just rehearse. A student of the Faculty of the Belarusian traditional culture and contemporary art decided to influence this situation and appealed for public support. And already had some success.

"It is necessary to bring important beginnings to an end," commented user Pavel Makeyeu on the petition created by Nina Yakimovich at change.org. E-petition is getting a popular way to address the authorities among Belarusians, is another method to reach out to the leadership of the university and the city administration. The latter, by the way, is headed by Barys Sviatlou, who was the BSUC rector several months ago.

"In 2007, the construction of the Sports and Cultural Center (SCC) of the BSUCA was started," says the petition. "However, no construction works were carried out during the past years. What was built in 2007 is now in the open air and turns into rubble."

According to the petition, which has already been signed by more than 700 people, "the students suffer being unable to do physical exercises in their own gym and and hold cultural events on a large stage. BSUCA doesn't even have a hall."

However, the petition is only a part of the efforts of Nina "Let's construct the BSUCA complex honestly and transparently!". She also appealed to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Architecture and Construction, the Minsk Executive Committee, the Presidential Administration and the State Control Committee.

Indeed, the construction had to be over 2 years ago. However, this date is constantly changing, and few believe in the latest one – 31 December 2013.

"Looking at the construction site, the students lost hope the construction works would be finished during the time of their study. They even joke that the center will be completed when their children will be learning at the university," says Nina.

As the student stated to generation.by, her campaign has achieved certain result. After she spread the information about the situation, the university provost agreed to meet with her. He called the specific price of the construction: for six years, the campaign "Midis", which carried out the construction works, received about 15 billion rubles. However, during the crisis of 2011 it went bankrupt. In 2012, the builders of the company "Steka-group" took its place. They promise to finish the sports and cultural center.

State control has promised that the construction works would resume later this month and be completed in summer 2014.

Interestingly, the former rector of the Minister of Culture and BSUCA Sviatlou did not respond to Nina's petition.