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“The situation with workers’ rights in Belarus is worsening. At certain enterprises, including those of our sector ( as at Stolbtsovky machine-building plant), strikes have been held to respond to long-term arrears of payments. Some Government-owned media (newspapers “The Respublika”, “The Soviet Belarus”) have published anti-Union articles. As it should have been expected, all promises to change the attitude towards workers’ rights made by the Administration, remain only rhetorical. We are not so much blaming the leadership of the Government, as all orders have been initiated in the Presidential Administration as the sole center of suppressing liberties and rights of the workers.

Shortly after the Congress of the Belarus Trade Union of Agrarian and Industrial Complex, President Loukashenko held a teleconference on agricultural matters, with Alexander Yaroshuk, Chairman of the Sectoral Trade Union, having the floor. Mr. Loukashenko was speaking as if he was unaware of all actions against Mr. Yaroshuk, and as if everything had been done without him being informed. Loukashenko advised Yaroshuk not to enter any political games undertaken by the Belorussian Trade Union Federation and some its leaders. He also approved Yaroshuk’s standpoint and encouraged him not to be scared because, as President, was informed that Mr.Yaroshuk had won in a fare race. Further, President nominated Yaroshuk his own representative in the Agrarian sector. At the same time, President openly expressed irritation in respect of other trade union leaders, making especially insulting remarks about Mr. V. Goncharik, Chairman of the Trade Union Federation, Belarus. Mr. Goncharik earlier published an Open Letter to President Loukashenko, urging the latter to present his apologies.

The pressure on the Trade Unions ASM and REP (Workers of Radio and Electronic Industry), as well as on the FTB, has increased on the part of the Taxation Service and the Committee of Financial Investigations. A bank account of the FTB Administrative Department, responsible largely for maintaining an FTB Office at Masherova St., 21, has been closed. The Taxation Service has illegally closed a bank account of the Educators’ Trade Union, the fact recognized by the Head of the Committee on Taxation. The formal reason was untimely submitted documents. However, the real one was the fact that Ms. T.Chebotova resolutely refuted the information presented by the Country’s Leadership on their having paid off all the debts to the teachers and other Education sector employees.

The pressure on the Trade Union ASM and REP is still sensed. The Presidential Administration emissaries are searching for alternative candidates to the trade union chairpersons’ positions, talking to trade union leaders of major enterprises, and even to some FTB officials, promising guarantees in case they agreed to run for the office. None has given their consent so far. Mr. A. Kharlap, Minister of Industry, and his Deputies have applied for membership to the REP Union, while one of Union organization at the “MZVT” plant, where Mr. Kharlap used to be Manager, was forced to elect Mr. Minister as delegate to the Trade Union Congress. Paradoxically, he was elected delegate without having been accepted as a Union member. Hopefully, the Congress Credentials Committee will never acknowledge his mandate as it contradicts the Union Constitution. Two more Deputy Ministers of Industry who used to work at REP also applied for the Union membership. We have got information that one of the Deputies who also earlier worked in the Sector, is trying to join the ASM Union.. Possibly, they are planning to put pressure upon the Union Congress delegated through Directors and other Sectoral officials.

The Presidential Administration initiated a meeting of the National Council on August 16, which had on its agenda a discussion of the Belorussian Trade Union Appeal to the International Labor Organization. However, the discussion did not happen. Trade unions refused to participate as the Presidential Administration officials themselves are among those who initiated the attack against trade unions. The National leaders need the National Council sitting only for “window-dressing”, in order to produce favorable impression on the West on the eve of the Parliamentary election and to ensure the arrival of the OSCE and Council of Europe observers. Besides, they need to have a chance to tell the ILO Delegation that the Appeal has been properly considered and responded to, while in fact nothing has changed at all”.

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