Justice ministry sets new cell relocation deadline :: Charter'97 :: News

The Belarusian Ministry of Justice has set a new deadline for political parties to relocate their chapters from residential to office buildings. Now the parties have until June 1 to relocate their cells. The previous deadline was February 1, 2005. None of the country’s parties managed to fulfill the relocation requirement, with many receiving official warnings.

Several parties tried to contest the warnings in the Supreme Court, but lost the appeals.

The ministry threatens to annul the registration of cells if parties fail to meet the requirement this time.

It has tasked prosecutor’s offices with monitoring the relocation process.

“On the one hand, the Ministry of Justice gives more time for the fulfillment of its illegal requirement, but on the other hand, it asks prosecutor’s offices to tighten supervision over the process,” Anatoly Lebedko, leader of the United Civic Party, commented to BelaPAN.

“It`s evident that nobody will register cells but try to liquidate as many as possible,” he said. “The justice ministry only gives the appearance of taking care of political parties.”

Sergei Kalyakin, leader of the Belarusian Party of Communists, described the ministry’s requirement as an instance of complete lawlessness.

“In 1999 and 2000, the justice ministry’s departments were registering our cells in violation of the Housing Code," Mr. Kalyakin said. "Instead of punishing the responsible officials now, the justice ministry puts the blame on political parties.”

He described the ministry’s requirement as politically motivated and aimed at sweeping away opposition parties.