MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2019) Unauthorized protests against further integration of Belarus and Russia, organized in central Minsk by the opposition of Belarus, have entered the second day on Sunday, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
On Saturday, the opposition took to the streets of Minsk to protest road maps on integration between Belarus and Russia, which are being worked out by the leaders of the two countries. The demonstrations ended without incidents and arrests. The opposition activists claim that the authorities of Belarus would give up on the country's independence if they agree to further integrate with Russia.
An unauthorized event is taking place on Sunday on October Square, where people gathered with traditional white-red-white flags. The participants are voicing slogans such as "Long Live Belarus," and "Independence." The police are present at the scene and warning of the responsibility for participating in the unauthorized action. Police officers are calling on the protests to go home in the Russian language, while protesters say that they do not understand Russian and ask to repeat everything in the Belorussian language.
On December 8, Moscow and Minsk celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State of Russia and Belarus. Belorussian President Alexander Lukashenko offered to adopt plans for a stronger integration. At the same time, he stressed that he would not sign anything unless several key issues, such as economic ones, were not resolved, including the issue of energy supplies and lifting trade barriers.
On Thursday, during his address to the country's parliament, Lukashenko slammed the opposition's claims that the authorities give up on Belarus' independence by agreeing to further integrate with Russia. The president stressed that Minsk and Moscow were not discussing establishment of a unified parliament, or any similar political issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko held a meeting on Saturday. According to Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin, the two leaders narrowed some differences over the integration between the two states.
