Minsk City Executive Committee has not granted permission to the United Civic Party of Belarus to hold a protest action referring to the fact that “the application filed fails to meet the requirements of Art.5 of Law on Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus”. The further specifics have not been offered.
The Council of Ministers against satellite dishes
The UCPB members was to protest against the Council’s regulation which enjoins residents of apartment buildings on obtaining permission from local executive committees for installing satellite dishes. Moreover, the dishes should win approval otherwise they will be subjected to demount.
A lot of Minsk residents have received written requests of dismantling satellite dishes and abandoning satellite TV from the city authorities.
According to the activists, such demands might well be an attack on the only independent channel Belsat TV that is available through satellite systems. A need for receiving numerous permissions would result in soaring corruption, Anatol Liabedzka, Chairman of the UCPB, stresses. For example, a number of companies specializing in satellite dishes’ legalization for $200-300 have recently appeared in the capital.
According to the unconfirmed information, it is the city officials who send would-be clients there.
Belsat
