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Opposition heads to Russian embassy in Minsk to protest against integration

Several hundred opposition members came to October Square holding nationalist white-red-white flags and chanting "Live Belarus"

© Victor Drachev/TASS

MINSK, December 8. /TASS/. Members of the Belarusian opposition, who have been holding an unauthorized protest in downtown Minsk for a second day against boosting integration between Belarus and Russia, are heading to the Russian embassy in Minsk, a TASS correspondent reported.

Several hundred opposition members came to October Square on Sunday holding nationalist white-red-white flags and chanting "Live Belarus" and "Independence." According to the protest’s initiator, co-chair of an unregistered party, Belarusian Christian Democracy, Pavel Severints, the protesters are heading to the Russian embassy in Minsk to voice protest against integration policy.

On December 7, several hundred opposition activists held a rally on October Square and marched across the city streets in protest against the authorities’ policy. According to activists, the signing of integration documents with Russia could trigger negative consequences for Belarus. The rally was held without any serious incidents and detentions.

December 8 marks the 20th anniversary of singing the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State by the presidents of Russia and Belarus. The document entered into force on January 26, 2000. Russia and Belarus are currently working on a program to boost integration, which includes 31 roadmaps, 20 of which are ready for signing.

Putin and Lukashenko held an hours-long meeting in Sochi on December 7, which demonstrated that there is a fewer number of issues related to integration, which are yet to be ironed out. The two presidents agreed to continue dialogue on December 20.

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