46 years without repairs: Residents of block of flats are set to boycott elections

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI0hWXheKkU”][/vc_column][/vc_row]The 46-year-old block of flats in Kalinouski street in Minsk has never been repaired. Its residents say they are going to boycott the forthcoming presidential elections.

According to the documents, extensive repairs were scheduled for 2010, but it has been repeatedly put off. The dwellers complain that the ceiling is leaking, and in winter it is very cold in the flats as the heating system heats the street, not the rooms.

“They do not want to make the block coldproof. We have been living here since 1969 and they offend us, they should not offend us,” Natallia says.

The concerned owners of flats sent an appeal to president Lukashenka, which brought a certain result: a representative of the district administration has recently met with them, repairing balconies is to be started today. But officials say there is no money for insulating the old block. But in this case there is no point in major repairs, the residents believe.

“If our Housing Maintenance Service, our authorities turn their backs on us, we will not go to the polls,” Yauhen says.

Representatives of Pershamaisky district administration say that they have no funds for full-scale repairs. In their turn, the dwellers refuse to cast their votes on Sunday.

The appeal was signed by 60 residents of the block. Although some of them admit their being loyal to incumbent president Alyaksandr Lukashenka, they are going to boycott the elections.[vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]