Belarusian authorities ban volunteer camps

A volunteer summer camp aimed at redevelopment and initial conservation of a historical-cultural complex has been prohibited in Vitsebsk region.

Unwillingness of head officials of Sharkaushchyna district to approve holding a volunteer camp in the village of Luzhki made the chairman of the Belarusian Voluntary Society for protection of Historical and Cultural Landmarks Anton Astapovich address Vitsebsk regional executive committee, BelaPAN reports.

It is written in the letter that on July 5 the public association sent a written proposal to the chairman of Sharkaushchyna district executive committee Myachyslau Morkhat to hold together a volunteer summer camp for redevelopment and initial conservation of a historical-cultural complex “Ruins of a synagogue complex of the mid-second half of the 19th century in the village of Luzhki”.

On July 21 the public association received an answer to its application. The answer violates paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2 of the presidential decree of October 15, 2010, Articles 4, 6 and 9 of the Law “On appeals of citizens” of June 6, 2006, the Presidential Directive of December 27, 2006; it is not in fact to the point, and indirectly denied the public association implementing the volunteer initiative, the letter reads.

The author of the letter asks to give a relevant reply to the letter of July 5 and to bring to account the officials who are responsible for violation of normative legal documents regulating the rules of document flow, and through the fault of which the state policy is discredited, and in particular, the policy of the president in the sphere of red tape control.