Opposition youths deliver letter to Russian embassy in Minsk on occasion of Unity Day :: Charter'97 :: News

A group of young opposition activists on April 2 delivered a letter to the Russia embassy in Minsk on the occasion of the Belarusian-Russian Unity Day officially observed on this date. Seven opposition youths arrived at the embassy at noon and handed the letter to an embassy officer who went out to them.

The petition, written in the Belarusian language and addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ambassador Aleksandr Blokhin, said, "We testify that the leadership of Russia made a great contribution to the orange, white-red and citrine-pink events. It is your all-out efforts that ensured the success of democratic changes in a large area in the CIS. We also admire your efforts to democratize Russia, purify television channels of liberal elements and nationalize the Yukos company, the Basmanny Court`s rulings, the abolition of gubernatorial elections and, especially, the campaign to renew the constitutional order in Chechnya…. We hope that in 2006, the thankful Belarusian people will elect as Belarus` new president a true friend of Russia such as Mikhail Saakashvili, Viktor Yushchenko and Kurmanbek Bakiyev."

"Unfortunately, the police prevented us from delivering a cake to the Russian embassy," Boris Goretsky, a participant, told reporters. "They attempted to stop us when we were approaching the embassy and a policeman dropped the cake on the ground."

An embassy officer, who said that he was first secretary but refused to identify himself, told the reporters that he could not comment on the letter, as, according to him, he did not know Belarusian well enough.

None of the letter deliverers was arrested.