Aliaksandr Yarashuk: The politics of terror is an anomaly for any state in the 21st century

The Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions Aliaksandr Yarashuk told Narodnaya volya whether or not a nationwide strike is likely to take place in Belarus now.

– How can we expect a strike if people are intimidated? Last year, workers joined the popular protests against unfair elections and violence. First of all, the political factor was a trigger.

– With regard to workers’ strikes, we should note that economic prerequisites play an important role here. Today we do not see an economic collapse in the country. There is no collapse in wages. At many enterprises, wages are not rising, however, they are not falling either. Especially at strategic factories. Belarusian exports has grown by 30%, we observe the situation with the prices for potash fertilizers.

– Now we cannot say that workers are ready to go on strike. Especially taking into account the adopted amendments to the Labour Code which provide for liability for calls for a strike – this includes not only dismissal but also the institution of criminal proceedings.

– Obviously, as long as the authorities keep on pressuring workers and trade unions for political reasons, there will be more and more calls for a social protest in one form or another, because the politics of terror is an anomaly for any state in the 21st century.