Leaders of Entrepreneurial Movement Uphold Convicted People’s March Organizers :: Charter'97 :: News

Leaders of entrepreneurial structures, who joined the People’s March “For Better Life!” – chairman of the Striking Committee of entrepreneurs of Belarus Valery Levonevsky and chairman of the public association “Perspective” Anatoly Shumchenko supported their colleague, co-chairman of the “Private Property” Leonid Malakhov and other March’s organizers, sentenced to 15 days of arrest.

Statement of the leaders of entrepreneurial movement of Belarus

Over a hundred thousand entrepreneurs in thirty towns of Belarus engaged in the March 12 strike. Actions under the common motto “For Better Life!” took place in Mogilev, Gomel and Borisov. On March 12 over five thousand people gathered in Minsk downtown under social slogans.

For the first time in the newest Belarusian history various strata of population formed a unique front in demanding better life. The action attracted entrepreneurs, workers, students and pensioners.

That fact scared the Belarusian authorities. They got frightened at seeing that we showed up together at the Yakub Kolas square and demanded better life in unison.

The Belarusian authorities realized that any of their attempts to suppress entrepreneurs failed. March 12 saw unification of all businessmen. The organizing committee for “Perspective” organization, Striking Committee of entrepreneurs and “Private Property” joined their efforts, due to which March 12 saw the most massive entrepreneurial strike of the recent past and the People’s March “For Better Life!” in Minsk.

The action had its victims. Three of its organizers – Andrei Sannikov, Dmitry Bondarenko and Ludmila Gryaznova, along with the co-chairman of the “Private Property” Leonid Malakhov were arrested and sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest.

The action was absolutely peaceful and there were no grounds on which to arrest its organizers. The only reason for such harsh penalties is their recognition of our strength. And they fear us altogether, for we are an organized force, as manifested by the joint action.

The People’s March of March 12 was the first action, conducted together by the entrepreneurs, workers, students and pensioners. The first step towards better life.

The goal of the harsh sentences is to intimidate entrepreneurs, stop their struggle for better future. However, it’s too late to threaten us and we cannot be stopped. If our demands are unmet, the fight will go on.

“Two hours of freedom, which the businessmen enjoyed on the Yakub Kolas square, are worth these my 15 days of arrest. I’m sure that soon these two hours will usher in a whole new life of freedom,” – said our colleague Leonid Malakhov after the sentence announcement in court.

Together we’ll make our freedom last forever!

Chairman of the Striking committee of entrepreneurs
Valery Levonevsky

Coordinator of “Perspective’s” organizing committee
Anatoly Shumchenko