European March: Kastrychnitskaya Square – Academy of Sciences – Park of Peoples’ Friendship 39

15:15, — society

The European March is to be held 14 October in Minsk. The organizers are going to come to Kastrychnitskaya (Oktiabrskaya) Square at 14.00 in order to lead the people to the Academy of Sciences – the permitted by the city authorities place. The route of the procession will be Academy of Sciences -Nezaleznnast Avenue – Surganau Street – Park of Peoples’ Friendship. “The European March is permitted. The only thing that can prevent people not to come out to the march is laziness or desire to live in dictator regime”, - Viktar Ivashkevich, the European March organizing committee head, “Belarusian Popular Front” (BNF Party) deputy chairmen declared at today’s press conference.

The European March applicants Viktar Ivashkevich, Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Anatol Liabedzka and Vintsuk Viachorka took part in the press conference.

“As we have first declared the European March is a peaceful and nonconfrontational event, we are gaining the maximum legal action. For thousands of people can peacefully and with dignity participate in the action we agree to the route suggested by the authorities – from the Academy of Sciences to the Park of Peoples’ Friendship. We approved such a decision because the official representatives of the European Union will take part in the march. But we consider our moral duty to come to Kastrychnitskaya Square at 14.00 to call people go to the Academy of Sciences with us. In the connection that we have agreed to the proposal of the authorities, we hope they will behave in civilized way”, - Viktar Ivashkevich declared.

The United Civil Party leader Anatol Liabedzka called the authorities to take to heart the EU calls and said the repressions against the European March organizers senseless.

“One can’t shut his or her eyes on what’s happening the last days. The authorities demonstrate their fear before the mass character of the European March. The provocations against the organizing committee leadership, arrests of the march organizers, searches in the flats of democratic activists – all these things are senseless. The people will take to the streets all the same”, - the politician said.

The events of the last days show the officials have “a kind of schizophrenia”. “One part of the head wants to go to Europe, another one wants dictatorship. I hope the common sense will win”, - Ivashkevich said.

The movement “For Freedom” leader Aliaksandr Milinkevich called the Belarusians to come to the European March and the authorities – to allow to hold an action peacefully.

“The whole Belarus, both democrats and non-democrats, all are interested in the cooperation with the EU. The condition for it is to behave properly. We should begin our way to Europe. We must demonstrate our will. It depends on everybody where will the country move. I call everybody to come to march and demonstrate Belarus wants be European and civilized country”, - Milinkevich declared.

The movement “For Freedom” leader has come from Prague today where he participated in representative Forum 2000.

“The world leaders are well informed about the situation in Belarus and the forthcoming European March. I didn’t even have to tell, they were asking me questions. Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright is interested how the European March will be held, how the authorities behave. The world is supporting us. But everything depends on us themselves. The declarations are not enough - we need actions. We have received a great advance. Everybody believes in our European mentality, our dignity, now we must become the members of the European society”, - Milinkevich said.