A series of social protests in Belarus

Summary:

On 5 March 2017 approximately a thousand people protested in Brest against the presidential decree on ‘preventing social parasitism’. The decree came into force in spring 2015 and made it possible to for a special tax to be imposed on all citizens who work less than 183 calendar days a year.

This was another demonstration in a series of protests which have been organised since 17th February across Belarus under the slogan ‘We are not freeloaders!’ Participation has ranged from several hundreds to two thousand people. The demonstrations have been held not only in Minsk and the remaining five district cities but also in smaller towns such as Baranovichi or Bobruisk. The protesters have been demanding, above all, that the decree be repealed and, should it not be, they have announced they will continue the protests.