Plans on Freedom Day celebration remain the same

• 20.03.2008, 15:21

The Minsk city executive committee permitted to hold the demonstration dedicated to 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic 25 March on the route Academy of Science - Banhalor Square. Organisers of the Freedom Day celebration don’t agree with it. They disclaimed all responsibility for holding of the action and said that “plans remain the same” – participants of the action Freedom Day are to come to Yakub Kolas Square at 6.00pm.

The applicants for the 25 March celebration were invited to the Minsk city executive committee today.

“They didn’t negotiate with us, just read out the decision of the city executive committee, permitting the “traditional” route from Academy of Science to Banhalor Square. We disagree with such a decision and wrote a statement we declaimed all responsibility for that demonstration. This route doesn’t fit the importance of the holiday. The authorities continue to fight against this celebration as before. I brought two volumes of BNR archives to the committee, but officials didn’t need them. However, our plans remain the same. People know the information,” Lyavon Barshcheuski, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front party and one of the applicants for BNR 90th anniversary celebration, said.

Freedom Day action will be held on a new route. People will gather on Yakub Kolas Square at 6.00 pm, then move along Independence Avenue, Valadarski, Haradski Val Streets to the monument to Maksim Bahdanovich near the Opera House. During the action the organisers plan to lay flowers to monuments to Yakub Kolas, Yanka Kupala, Adam Mitskevich and Maksim Bahdanovich.