Grassroots protest: dwellers of whole houses refuse to vote in Minsk

Dwellers of three tower-blocks in Belski Street of Minsk protest against the local authorities, who don’t solve a problem of land improvement of the yard.

Protesters sent a complaint to the OSCE mission in Belarus, the Central Election Commission and Lukashenka’s administration.

The confrontation between dwellers of houses #14, 16 and 18 in Belski Street and the local authorities is lasting for a long time. A refusal top vote is the last hope for solving the issue, Zmitser Vusau, one of the applicants, tells to radio Svaboda:

“I reside at 14, Belski Street. It is a big house with an entry arch in the middle of it. A road was built through this arch. Cars are driving, children have no place to play. We addressed the city administration, the president’s administration, Lukashenka, the prosecutor’s office – all in vain. So, we, dwellers of three houses, wrote to the OSCE mission, the Central Election Commission, and president’s administration that we wouldn’t go to the “election”.

Not only Minsk dwellers hope refusal to vote, as a last-resort measure of protest and influence the local officials. Antanina Mikhailauna of Kibutsi village (Valozhyn district) told to Radio Racyja:

“We have a water leak, the pipe broke half a year ago. I addressed to the chairman of the village council and said, ‘if you don’t fix it up, we won’t go to the election’. He gave me a gibing glance and said: ‘Don’t go, nobody makes you do it”. I answered: ‘You wil probably write the figures you will be reordered from above’. He said: ‘I must work and earn money for my family’. Such a progress and transparency of the “election” we have!”