Founder of Civil Party of Belarus and Member of Belarusian Association “Business Initiative” Detained in Minsk

On 27 January the police detained the former director of Minsk Factory named in honor of October revolution (one of the largest factories of engineering tools in Belarus) Mikhail Kryvamaz, He headed the factory for more than ten years and lost his chair in 2004. Kryvamaz is also known as one of the founders of the Civil Party of Belarus (with Vasil Shlyndzikaw at the head) and a member of Belarusian association “Business Initiative”, headed by Mikhail Marynich.

Minsk Savetski Borough Board of economic crimes conformed to RFE/RL the fact of detention, but didn’t explain what the formed director was suspected in.

Kryvamaz’s acquaintance Vasil Shlyndzikaw, former deputy of the Supreme Soviet thinks that the former director could try to establish a modern model for production of engineering tools after he was fired from the factory, or he could be detained for membership in the association that was headed by Marynich.

Arrests of heads of large enterprises have become a habitual event for the present Belarus. At the end of 2004 the police arrested the director of Navapolatsk concern “Naftan” Kanstantsin Chasnavitski and his substitutes, the director of Minsk Bearings’ Factory Valery Penza, the head of the Committee of State Aviation Fiodar Ivanow and other officials.