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• 23.05.2012, 12:30

Utility employees in Brest are forced to join the pro-Lukashenka organization Belaya Rus under threat of dismissal.

Managers of housing and utilities office No. 12 in Brest spread applications for membership in the pro-governmental organization Belaya Rus among employees, Brestsky Kuryer newspaper learned from a staff member.

Every employee was handed in two applications, which were almost filled – they just needed to write down their names, home address, date and put a signature. One of the applications was addressed to Maria Hladun, the head of the Maskouski district branch of Belaya Rus.

“I am applying for membership in Belaya Rus republican public association. I read and accepted the Statute.” The other application is addressed to Pavel Zyhar, the head of the housing and utilities department of Brest: “I ask to withhold a membership fee of .3% of my monthly salary and transfer the sum to Belaya Rus.”

A utility employee told the independent newspaper nobody saw the statute and programmes of the organization, but all staff members were warned it's possible labour contracts with those refusing to sign applications would not be prolonged.

Syarhei Lashko, the director of housing and utilities office No. 12, declined to comment on the situation. The deputy head at the city housing and utilities department responsible for ideology, Alena Semyanyuk (who also leads Belaya Rus primary branch at the department) noted the heads of structural divisions of the housing and utilities department were members of Belaya Rus. She did not say anything clear regarding the attempts to enroll new members by force.