The organizers of the event explained the reason for the refusal by the lack of money they demanded by policemen for law enforcement services during the rally.

One of the applicants of the action, Konstantin Smolikov, received permission to conduct it from the administration of Zheleznodorozhny district of Viciebsk. The festive meeting was planned to be held at noon on March 25 in the Park of Culture and Rest of Railway Workers.

The main condition for obtaining permission for mass actions is formulated in the decision of the Viciebsk City Executive Committee No. 881. This is the existence of preliminary contracts for servicing the event by employees of housing and communal services, doctors and the police. For the first time in 10 years, all relevant structures agreed to conclude contracts for the provision of paid services. However, the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs requested an excessive amount – 582 rubles – for policing during the rally with the help of 10 policemen.

According to Konstantin Smolikov, the applicants do not have such money.

"As it is written in the agreement, we have to pay militiamen for work until March 22. The amount they requested was almost 10 times higher than the payment for medical services. Those asked for only about 70 rubles. We do not have the opportunity to collect money for a couple of days, so we consulted and decided to refuse to hold the event in the planned format of the rally," ,said Mr. Smolikov.

Now, Viciebsk activists are speculating in what other format it is possible to mark the historical date with dignity. By the way, as previously reported, the activist of the Belarusian National Congress, Vladimir Kiyko also appealed to the local authorities for permission for a festive action – to march along the pedestrian street of Suvorov from the monument to Prince Olgerd to the monument to writer-fellow countryman Vladimir Korotkevich. There, at the monument, the activist also wanted to arrange a rally.

The administration of the Oktyabrsky district of the city banned the march and rally on the grounds that Mr. Kiyko did not attach the necessary contracts to the application.

According to BS, svaboda.org