"You can keep shouting": Belarusian President's pithy response to angry workers

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Employees of several factories in Minsk demonstrated on Monday at the call of the Belarusian opposition. President Alexander Lukashenko visited one of them, and spoke, in his own way, about the crisis in the country.

Publicity

On Monday morning, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the capital's Tractor Vehicle Manufacturing Plant (MZKT) and Tractor Plant (MTZ), as well as the Belarusian public television headquarters, brandishing the red and white flag of the opposition and launching slogans hostile to power.

The MZKT factory was precisely the site chosen by Alexander Lukashenko for a visit, the day after a monster opposition demonstration which is still contesting his re-election. Arrived by helicopter, the Belarusian president met handpicked workers. But in the context of tensions in the country, not everything happened in peace. 

During a speech to justify the violence of which the police have been accused in recent days, some employees began to shout “  go!  »,«  Go away!  ". The Head of State's response was concise: “  Thank you, you can continue to shout as much as you want. The country has held elections, and there will be no more . "

Outside, thousands of demonstrators converged. According to various videos posted on social networks, these opponents chanted “  We will not forget, we will not forgive  ”. A few hundred MZKT employees have also stopped working to support their colleagues.

Clutches

Maria Kolesnikova, one of the faces of the Belarusian opposition united around Svetlana Tikhanovskaya during the election campaign, also spoke in front of the factory before announcing that she would go, in support, to the headquarters of public television , which several presenters have announced in recent days their departure.

According to the news site tut.by , employees of the potash producer Belaruskali have in turn announced their intention to go on strike. Potash, used to make fertilizer, is a major source of income for Belarus, which is one of the world's largest producers.

(With AFP)

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• Belarus
• Alexander Lukashenko

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