The Minsk City Executive Committee has sanctioned a traditional opposition demonstration that is expected to take place on March 25, the anniversary of the proclamation of the 1918 Belarusian National Republic (BNR).
As Viktar Ivashkevich, a co-organizer of the Freedom Day demonstration, told BelaPAN, the city authorities permitted demonstrators to march from the square in front of the National Academy of Sciences to Peoples’ Friendship Park in Bangalore Square and hold a rally there.
On March 20, 2012 Mr. Ivashkevich visited the city executive committee to collect the written permit. According to him, an agreement on the absence of any obstacles to the use of national emblems, white-red-white flags corresponding to the format of the event was reached between the demonstration organizers and police officials, he said.
An opposition youth group called Young Front made a statement that its members would not join the march to the park, a desolate area where dogs are walked, and, instead, would attempt to stage a demonstration along Independence Avenue.
However, later the Freedom Day organizers managed to accord with Young Front activists that all participants should gather at 13.30 in front of the National Academy of Sciences. Then either political force will make its decision on further actions on its own.
Belsat
