BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

26/11/2007

Belarusian Presidential Administration Attracts Banned Rock Musicians

Aleh Pralyaskouski, an aide to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, on November 21 promised the leaders of four Belarusian rock bands informally banned from public performances that the ban might be removed, RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Belapan reported. A number of Belarusian musicians were banned from performing publicly in Belarus after they played at concerts during an opposition demonstration in 2004. Pralyaskouski reportedly promised the leaders of Palats, Krama, N.R.M., and Neuro Dubel that there would be no problems with concerts in Belarus and performance on state-run television if the musicians "do not get into politics." "That was an attempt by the authorities to use us, because the current political situation suggests that it is us who they need," Pit Paulau of the N.R.M. band said on November 23. "Nobody offered us 30 pieces of silver," he added, commenting on the avalanche of criticism from fans that followed the meeting with Pralyaskouski. AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/11/3-cee/cee-261107.asp