Vyachorka: Authorities’ plans to evict Belarusian Popular Front from its office in Minsk are politically-motivated :: Charter'97 :: News

Vintsuk Vyachorka, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), slammed as “politically motivated” the plans of the city authorities to evict the party from its long-time headquarters in downtown Minsk.

The Sovetsky district housing authority has given the party until May 15 to vacate the premises, threatening to file an eviction suit if the BPF fails to meet the deadline.

The party has occupied the office at 8 Varvasheni Street since 1992, always paying the rent in time, Mr. Vyachorka told reporters in Minsk on Thursday. The office also has been used as a venue of various cultural and educational conferences, and exhibitions, as well as conventions held by other pro-democracy parties. “That’s why the eviction from the office is a blow to all pro-democracy forces,” the politician said, urging the entire opposition movement to support the BPF in its effort to keep the premises.

Meanwhile, the authorities also have suggested that the Belarusian Free Trade Union (BFTU) vacate its office on Zakharova Street before May 16, a step that may signal the beginning of a large-scale campaign to evict all pro-democracy organizations from premises that could be used as conference venues, BFTU leader Gennady Bykov said at the same news conference.

The government’s directive came just two weeks after the rent contract was prolonged for another year, according to the unionist.

Both the BPF and the BFTU will file suits to have the eviction orders annulled and hope that the public and independent media outlets would exert pressure on the authorities over the matter.