Brest authorities repeatedly violate the law On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Belarus

Belarusian Voluntary History and Culture Monuments Protection Society (BVHCMPS) analyzed the latest auctions on the sale of real estate and sent these materials to the prosecutor’s office.

Anton Astapovich, the head of the Belarusian Voluntary History and Culture Monuments Protection Society and the Movement for Freedom (the MFF) activist, made the conclusion that Brest executive and regulatory agencies have repeatedly put up real estate objects having the status of historical and cultural valuable objects for sale in order to subsequently demolish them and construct new capital buildings which is a rude violation of the law On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Belarus of January 9, 2006.

The following buildings and structures – which received the status of historical and cultural valuable objects in accordance with the July 1, 2009 decision of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus Belarusian Republican Scientific and Methodical Council on the Historical and Cultural Heritage Issues – were put up for sale with further demolition:

1. Buildings 26 and 28 at Savietskikh Pahranichnikau street
2. Building 23 at Lenina street
3. Building 12 at Astrouskaha street
4. Buildings 48, 50, and 56 at Masherava avenue
5. Building 36 at 17th of September street
6. Building 39 at Dziarzhynskaha street
7. Buildings 100 and 102 at Savietskaya street

Since – under the auction’s conditions – these valuable buildings are subject to demolition and further designing and new construction, this auction violates Articles 27, 28, 29, and 36 of the law On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Belarus, and paragraphs 1.2, 1.5, 2.3, and 2.4 of Article 10 of the law On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Belarus, as well as several other regulatory documents.

According to BVHCMPS, personal attitude of Mr. Palyshankou, the Brest City Executive Committee head, creates conditions for violations of Article 344 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.  
         
BVHCMPS asks the Brest Region Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus to solve this situation and make the work of the Brest City Executive Committee relating to historical and cultural valuable objects comply with the Law.

BVHCMPS demands the Brest authorities to present the plan of measures on the implementation of the Law and of the government policy in the historical and cultural heritage filed and the prospective propositions of the City Executive Committee on auctions relating to the objects of Brest historical centre. BVHCMPS also offers to publish in The Evening Brest (Viacherni Brest) newspaper the decisions of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus Belarusian Republican Scientific and Methodical Council on the Historical and Cultural Heritage Issues on the list of Brest historical centre objects and on the major directions of preserving, renewing, and prospective use of the historical heritage at the territory of the Brest Fortress.

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