Drones, protests unwanted: Lukashenka for ‘heartwarming’ European Games (ENG video)

Belarus is getting ready for the 2nd European Games. On May 21, president Lukashenka signed a decree on introducing extra safety measures during the event, i.e. ban on using drones, more censorship on the Internet, etc.

Badminton, 3×3 basketball, kayaking, archery, table tennis and beach soccer… In total, there are 15 sports in the program of the European Games. The Belarusian authorities have allocated tens of millions of dollars for putting Minsk and its suburbs in order; thousands of students have been relocated or put together so that foreign guests could be accomodated in the student village. President Lukashenka is keeping the preparations under his tight control.

“Our games should be the most heartwarming, and all people in Belarus should live and breathe them,” Lukashenka said when visiting the Student Village complex on May, 11.

In an effort to cover all the bases, Lukashenka signed Decree No 191. According to the document, the Ministry of Defense will establish additional restricted areas; from June, 17 to July, 2 there is a ban on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and model airplanes at competition venues and fan zones. Violators’ drones will be seized.

In the face of the European Games, vehicle traffic will be restricted in Minsk, military forces will be enlisted in policing and given the right to use physical force, special means and weapons; security guards in hotels will be authorized to check documents, luggage and cars.

It is nothing to be surprised at the security upgrade, but there is a restriction of the fundamental rights of citizens in the decree, political scientist Andrey Yahorau, Director of the Centre for European Transformation, believes:

“The question is the right to information dissemination, the right to truth. It is not typical of such an event. These rights should be restricted in case of emergency, but the current situation is not extraordinary.”

In the course of the European Games, the Belarusian KGB, police and prosecutors will be entitled to block any websites calling for participating in unauthorized mass meetings or other activities that ‘may spoil the European Games’.

Not all Belarusians fully understand why such strong measures are being taken.

“There are so many terror attacks happening all over the world…”

“The authorities are keeping a wary eye on us.”

“In my opinion, it is going to far.”

“Every day I show the contents of my bag to metro police. I do not know why such things occur. Apparently, the police have nothing better to do.”

In the near future, Belarusians may face not only blocking web pages and messengers but preventive arrests as well, Yahorau warns. The authorities consider any sign of protests as a threat and fear that dissidents will stage peaceful rallies in front of foreign guests.

“The events at which one can present an alternative point of view are also curbed; such measures are said to be taken for security reasons, but in fact, the objective is the greater control of the situation,” Andrey Yahorau stressed.

It is the inter-agency HQ under the command of Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich that will be coordinating security activities during the 2nd European Games in Minsk.

The 2nd European Games will be held in Minsk in June 21-30, 2019. For the first time it took place in 2015 in Baku; it was started rolling by Lukashenka’s close friend, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, who definitely wants it to run and run. However, holding the event may cost Belarusians $30-40 mln.

Yaraslau Stseshyk, Belsat.eu, phot. president.gov.by