Belarusian companies refute numerous strike videos
<p> MINSK, Aug 13 - PrimePress. On Aug 13, social media featured videos of rallies at a number of Belarusian enterprises, with demonstrators demanding to stop violence and recount ballots in the Aug 9 presidential election. Of all companies contacted by RIA Novosti, only one said they were officially out of work and went on strike, while the rest denied holding any rallies or strikes. </p> <p> </p> <p> Following the election held Aug 9, 2020, the Central Election Commission of Belarus declared the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko the winner with 80.08% of the vote, while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came in second with 10.09%. The Tikhanovskaya campaign headquarters say that they do not recognize these results, as the data collected by her team from the polling stations show that she scored 70-80% of the vote. </p> <p> </p> <p> On the evening of August 9 unauthorized protest rallies began in Belarus. Rally participants would erect barricades, while riot police used firearms, rubber bullets water cannon, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Under these circumstances, Telegram channels started spreading calls for a general strike, which started turning into a mass strike on August 13. Employees of various institutions, both public and private, go out to the main entrance with posters and slogans. </p> <p> </p> <p> So far personnel of several large companies (MAZ, BelAZ, Grodno Chemical Fibre Plant) have been captured on video taking part in a rally on production premises. The videos distributed by Telegram channels show demonstrators wearing overalls with their company name on, who keep shouting in chorus “Go Away!” – an appeal, which is presumably addressed to the current head of state. </p> <p> </p> <p> It was not possible to contact official representatives of the companies concerned to clarify the situation. End </p>
2020-08-14
Primepress
Belarusian companies refute numerous strike videos
MINSK, Aug 13 - PrimePress. On Aug 13, social media featured videos of rallies at a number of Belarusian enterprises, with demonstrators demanding to stop violence and recount ballots in the Aug 9 presidential election. Of all companies contacted by RIA Novosti, only one said they were officially out of work and went on strike, while the rest denied holding any rallies or strikes.
Following the election held Aug 9, 2020, the Central Election Commission of Belarus declared the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko the winner with 80.08% of the vote, while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came in second with 10.09%. The Tikhanovskaya campaign headquarters say that they do not recognize these results, as the data collected by her team from the polling stations show that she scored 70-80% of the vote.
On the evening of August 9 unauthorized protest rallies began in Belarus. Rally participants would erect barricades, while riot police used firearms, rubber bullets water cannon, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Under these circumstances, Telegram channels started spreading calls for a general strike, which started turning into a mass strike on August 13. Employees of various institutions, both public and private, go out to the main entrance with posters and slogans.
So far personnel of several large companies (MAZ, BelAZ, Grodno Chemical Fibre Plant) have been captured on video taking part in a rally on production premises. The videos distributed by Telegram channels show demonstrators wearing overalls with their company name on, who keep shouting in chorus “Go Away!” – an appeal, which is presumably addressed to the current head of state.
It was not possible to contact official representatives of the companies concerned to clarify the situation. End