The 27 member countries of the European Union are to meet by videoconference, Wednesday August 19, in the middle of the day, to discuss the current crisis in Belarus. The situation is still very tense in the country with numerous demonstrations, again Tuesday, to denounce the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, in power for 26 years. State factories have gone on strike, such as the one producing fertilizers in Soligorsk, in the south of the country, which employs 20,000 people.
Since Tuesday, no more potash ore leaves the Soligorsk mines. Belarus Kalii, the largest producer of fertilizers in the world (one fifth of world production leaves its factories), is at a standstill due to a workers’ strike. Andrei, 46, has always worked there and despite fear, participates in the movement. “The administration is doing everything to stop the strike. They are starting to scare each person, one by one, each worker who goes on strike must sign a document, says the worker. You can go on strike, of course, if you sign, but people are already afraid because if you put your signature, you will be taken nowhere else. “
It should be understood that in Belarus, all companies are state-owned and the boss of each company is the president.
Andrei, Belarusian workerto franceinfo
So it takes a lot of determination to strike. So to help them, the miners, like many other Belarusians, are asking the European Union to be very clear with Lukashenko. “I expect from Europe that no one ever shakes hands with this bloodthirsty dictator because it has already happened in previous elections, says Andrei. And after that, he still shook hands with her. [Angela] Merkel, for example, shook hands with Lukashenko, a president who has blood up to his elbow in his hands. “
Some Belarusians are also asking Europe, in addition to sanctions, for financial assistance for strikers or the families of the victims of the repression. “We are not too used to asking for outside help, testifies Anna, translator, who takes part in the anti Lukashenko demonstrations. In my opinion, the only way, the only peaceful instrument to be able to change everything in the country, is a strike. It is a total, national strike. For that, we need financial means. Because they [les ouvriers] are afraid to go on strike because managers threaten them by telling them that they will be sacked. They are afraid.”
Workers cripple the world’s largest fertilizer factory: Antoine Balandra’s report
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