Political Battles Before The New Year

Two neighbors having quarreled came to an old wise man to ask for advice. Having listened to one of them, wise man said: "You're right!". Having listened to the other , he added: "And you're right!". His student observing the situation exclaimed: "How could they both be right, teacher? It's impossible."

But the wise man answered: " You're right too!"

The capital Deputy Soviet had almost had a quarrel the day before New Year on a petty reason - Minsk deputies had to settle the number of legislative districts what means to create the number of places in future Deputy corps. The most optimistic prognoses predict that it will be formed on April,4.

First, out of turn session of 11th Minsk municipal council promised to be the shortest in all the soviet's history. But the deputies first step - setting the agenda - almost turned to be fatal. The deputies group "Status" collected its colleagues signatures and proposed the soviet Principal to discuss two additional questions: to turn to republican Constitutional court, for it to check some points of a new law about the election of local Soviet Deputies, and also the members of "Status" proposed Semion Sharetsky to become a member of the republican election commission. At this moment three legendary persons appeared in the hall: ex-speaker Semion Sharetsky, ex-premiere Mikhail Chigir and ex-principal of Central Executive Committee Viktor Gonchar.

Perhaps, for the first time for the two years existence of the Soviet the political atmosphere in the hall was as hot as never - the Principal called the young deputies from "Status" "ambitious". After it for the first and for the second time the green numbers on the voting panel were not enough for the deputies to start discussing at least one of the questions. Only time could settle down the conflict - during the dinner break the deputies were trying to reach a compromise that would help them at least to start the session work.

But even after the break the conflict hasn't been settled but heated up - the militia refused to let Viktor Gonchar in to the Soviet building, motivating it with somebody's oral order. The question about Semion Sharetsky as a candidate to the central commission has again failed to be included into the agenda. After it the deputies group "Status" declared that it wouldn't participate in further voting. Nevertheless there were enough votes to confirm 52 Minsk districts (now there are 36 deputies in Minsk municipal council), election for which will take place on April,4. They also agreed to turn to the Constitutional court. Closing the session, congratulating each other with the coming New Year, they were still thinking about the former political year.

Yuri Sviatokum.
Translated by Olga Dubeshko and Olga Detiuk.
http://www.belarus.net/Index/Team/FLC/Detiuk/index.htm
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