‘Arena’ Music Club Closed on Order of Minsk Authorities

28.08.2007. Source: Charter`97.

According to the director of the musical club Arena Ihar Shabetnik the club can no longer issue any performance certificates for concerts because of the appropriate order of the main police department of Minsk city executive committee.

Mr. Shabetnik does not know the exact reasons for this step of the authorities. ‘I think that Minsk authorities don’t want any concerts of rock and folk performers in our club. It is quite difficult to say why. They only send written and oral orders to other instances. I was only told I could work no longer. I can’t understand why these half-amateur youth bands that played live at our club, are so much disliked by the city authorities. There was nothing oppositional in their art. May be, the officials don’t like alternative music,’ commented the director.

 

Now Arena continues working only as a café, without any concerts.

 

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