“It’s the closing stage of the regime’s preparation for elections. Today the authorities already cannot control grass-roots sentiments, telling about imaginary achievements from the TV screens. The regime understands (and today’s events in Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant are a proof for that), that people won’t tolerate suppression any more, and are ready to defend their rights in the streets. That is why the amendments are adopted to the Code, which is already repressive. There is the only objective, to make easier punishing and imprisonment of a person who publicly express dissent to the policy of the leader of the state,” the leader of the democratic forces of Belarus, a candidate for presidency Alyaksandr Milinkevich said, commenting on the adoption of the amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Code of penal procedure.

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“It means that after my today’s speech during the German-Belarusian forum I can be given a life sentence: two-three years here, two-three years there, and one can be placed to prison or “Valadarka” [Minsk remand prison]. What does this all show? It testifies that the Belarusian regime has once again clearly stated what strategy of the election campaign had been chosen by them: repressions, intimidation, power campaign. It is done consistently, at least, through the chamber of representatives,” the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka told to the Radio Svaboda, commenting on the amendments to the Criminal Code and some other laws, referring to the “liability for actions aimed against a person and public security,” adopted in the first reading by the deputies of the so-called “chamber of representatives”.

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“In this case one should speak not about absurdity of amendments, but about their criminal nature, as they violate all norms, both international and domestic law. The deputies, though of an unrecognized parliament, should think of consequences of the amendments, shoved to them by the [presidential] administration. The architects of the law will remain anonymous, while the names of those who has supported these criminal provisions of the law are to become known not only in Belarus, but outside it as well,” in this way the international coordinator of the Charter’97 civil initiative, former deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Andrei Sannikov comments on the adoption of the amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of penal procedure, increasing liability for “actions aimed against a person and public security”.

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Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle workers have unblocked the Partyzanski Avenue and stopped the protest action. Representatives of the plant’s administration went out to the workers. They promised to pay all wages until November 30. After negotiations the workers have not returned to the plant, and broke up. People said that if the wages would not be paid, protest actions are to continue.

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Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament Janusz Onyszkiewicz has arrived to Minsk for participation in the 8th Minsk forum “European Neighbourhood of Germany and Belarus: foreign policy, economy and society”. Previously, as we have informed, information was disseminated that the European parliamentarian was not allowed to enter our country. “In actual fact there was a danger that Janusz Onyszkiewicz won’t be allowed to enter Belarus, but fortunately everything ended well, and we could take part in the Minsk Forum,” the Charter’97 press-center was informed by the assistant of Vice Chairman of the European Parliament Wojtek Borodzicz.

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“I can only welcome protests of the workers of Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant. At last Belarusian workers’ awareness is awaking,” told the leader of the Labour Party Alyaksandr Bukhvostau, commenting on the protest action of Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant to the Charter’97.

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Under the pretext that the TV transmitting equipment of he TV Company “Mir” went wrong. All TV channels were forbidden to transmit TV reels from Minsk. It is the TV Company “Mir” who is the official channel for transmitting TV items for foreign countries. The representatives of the TV channels suppose that sudden troubles with the equipment could be connected to the strike of the workers of Minsk Bicycle and Motorcycle Plant, as the authorities do not want this information to be disseminated by foreign TV channels.

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Reporters are not allowed to approach the place of the strike by workers of Bicycle and Motorcycle Plant. The traffic in the Partyzanski Avenue from Vaneeu Square to the Kashevou Street has been shut off, and traffic police officers are refusing to let reporters to the place of the protest.

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Workers of Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant have disrupted the traffic in the Partyzanski Avenue in Minsk. The people demand to pay them their wages, which were not received by them since October this year. The Charter’97 press-center was informed about that the chairman of the public association “Prespektiva” Anatol Shumchanka, a witness of the events.

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Belarusian Foreign Ministry Addresses the Latvian FM with a request to affirm or refute the statements of Latvian Ambassador to Belarus Maira Mora concerning Belarus, published by some mass media.

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On December 17, 2005 a constitutive meeting of the public association “Belarusian Pensioners’ Union” is to be held. Yesterday, on November 23, an application was submitted to the Minsk city executive committee for holding this assembly in a number of premises in Minsk. Taking in consideration that recently the city authorities were not so enthusiastic in assistance to independent public associations, the leadership of the initiative group is afraid of a negative answer of the city authorities.

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On November 24 a vice principal of the Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) S.V.Shauruk told to Tatsyana Khoma, a student of the international economic relations faculty of the BSEU, that she is expelled from the university. Two weeks ago she was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the ESIB (the National Unions of Students in Europe), which is the largest students’ organization in Europe, providing defence of European students’ rights and interests.

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On November 24 the judge of Partyzanski regional court of Minsk Nikalay Trubnikau issued a warning to the pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church “Christ’s Covenant” Ryhor Vyazouski for holding an unsanctioned church service.

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Alyaksandr Lukashenka stated that the West is ready to propose some guarantees of security for him and his family, and also money in exchange for refusal to run for presidency. “I want you to know that I have made a decision and I am not going to sit somewhere quietly not for love or money,” Lukashenka said on November 24 during the meeting with the so-called parliamentarians.

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