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One language, another does
Why is it useful to close a Lithuanian registered medical institution that provides humanitarian services to ordinary Belarusian citizens? “The biggest enemy of Lithuania and Belarus,” said the head of the sanatorium “Belarus”. Dr. Ilya Yepifanov.
“We are a Lithuanian company. The buildings are on Lithuanian land, we rent it, and the property belongs to the Belarusian state. To the state, not to any institution, organization or person. We work according to the Lithuanian law, we pay all the taxes to Lithuania. And we are not paying anything to Belarus. We invest the accumulated funds in the development of the sanatorium. Even in the last year of the pandemic crisis, we spent over 2 million on it. euros. “Belarusian citizens make up a very small part of our employees, they have work permits,” explained the director of Belarus.
Yepifanov wonders why one speaks and the other does. European Union documents emphasize that humanitarian organizations, ordinary people, must not be harmed by punishing the regime. And who suffers in Druskininkai? Ordinary people. “At the beginning of January, the bank briefly lifted the garnishment on accounts. Allowed to pay employee salaries, downtime wage subsidies, state taxes. Please allow January wages to be paid, no one listens. One time that bills are blocked, we cannot even pay for heating, water, utilities, communications and other services. We have money in our accounts, but we have become debtors, “said I. Jepifanov angrily.
What if the patience of service providers ran out? It will be a disaster. Premises, equipment, alarms, devices without electricity and heating would begin to disappear, they would fail, they would malfunction. The companies that provide services to the sanatorium and are not paid for it are Lithuanian. And that means that the list of victims of the situation is even longer.
Employees are determined to fight
Vladislav Šaruckis, chairman of the working committee of the “Belorus” sanatorium, represents 400 employees in a desperate situation. The institution does not appear to have closed, but was rendered inoperative after Swedbank blocked all its accounts.
“The bank has frozen our accounts and has not yet provided any legal documents explaining why it has been done. All of their responses to us are different. The agency did not launder money or finance the terrorists to be punished. All payments and funds are used solely for the affairs and salaries of the institution, “said a representative of the Belorus employees. January 27 Belorus, a public institution, filed a lawsuit with the Vilnius District Court to have the bank’s actions declared illegal and they are ready to fight in court for as long as necessary.
V. Šaruckis is convinced that the courts would not have been necessary if the institutions had taken into account the explanations of the employees: “We asked the Lithuanian authorities to form a group that could submit an application to the Economic Council of the European Commission, at that the Union imposed sanctions at the end of last year ”.
Who, what and why they sacrifice
Mayor of Druskininkai Municipality Ričardas Malinauskas When asked how the destruction of the “Belorus” sanatorium would respond to Druskininkai, he answered the question: What can be said when in a city where about 80% of life depends on tourist services, losing jobs and income and the city one of the largest users of service infrastructure?
“There is no evidence from the vast amount of information that the sanitarium accounts have been legally blocked. This is a small mistake that, at least, you do not want to fix yet. If this is not a mistake, maybe it is a crime against the Lithuanian people? Is the offer to leave the Employment Service an attitude of the State towards its population? I understand that in recent days the main occupation and work of Lithuania is to be interested in the affairs of Russia and Belarus. I do not want to question the Need for sanctions, but I want the government to take care of the Lithuanian people first and then their neighbors. It is irresponsible and immoral to beat oneself to be afraid of strangers, “said the mayor of Druskininkai.
According to R. Malinauskas, after analyzing the situation, it becomes clear how the shark caused will end: there are no penalties for the founder, the sanatorium or the head of the sanatorium. The sanctions apply to all other Belarusian institutions, the Economic Board of the Presidency. It has no proprietary power to manage the property of the sanatorium, to exercise control over its activities. That’s her and running, we don’t care what they do. So the sanatorium, I emphasize that the sanatorium is not subject to sanctions from the European Union. Lithuania has imposed sanctions on the sanatorium in Belarus.
What measures has the municipality taken for its people? “All possible legal measures,” emphasized the mayor of Druskininkai. – Most of our city council, with the exception of conservatives and liberals, have decided to give a schematic explanation of who is subject to sanctions. In order to bring those who lie to the border, we will send the documents to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Lithuanian Presidency, the Government and the Ministries. We not only support people, their protests, their initiatives. When free movement between municipalities is allowed, I will go with the people to express the voice of protest, ”said R. Malinauskas.
Don’t make waves
How does the chairman of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, Žygimantas Pavilionis, assess the problem of the “Belorus” sanatorium?
Certainly, of course. “Lithuania cannot be responsible for the Belarusian regime, owner of that sanatorium. The Belarusian regime is not in dialogue with the West, the repression continues, there is no dialogue with its people. We cannot be held responsible for such inhuman behavior, which is also supported by the Putin regime. Therefore, the position of the Government and the Seimas to compensate the employees of the sanatorium “Belarus”, allowing them to find another job, is understandable. Olas, to ask again – whose side are you on? On the side of the regime or is Belarusian freedom still? Sanctions are applied directly by the European Union and all countries of the European Union must comply with them, “confirmed Ž.Pavilionis.
Wait for an apology
The employees of the “Belorus” sanatorium, who did not receive a constructive decision from the Lithuanian authorities, decided to defend their right to chosen work in court, where they will invite Foreign Minister Gabrielė Landsbergis.
Andrius Krištapavičius, a lawyer representing the interests of the employees of the “Belorus” sanatorium, confirmed the claim in court. According to the lawyer, the property, such as companies or legal entities, and sometimes Lithuanian citizens work in them. Unfortunately, they generate profits and money for the criminals themselves. “
Employees of the sanatorium are offended by state officials because they work in a public institution registered in the Republic of Lithuania and fulfill the public interest: they provide extremely necessary medical care services for disabled children of the Republic of Belarus.
According to lawyer A.Krištapavičius, according to the Law on Public Institutions, it is established that the benefits of a public institution cannot be assigned to shareholders, members of bodies of public institutions, bonuses to employees, so the statement of the politician that the employees of the sanatorium “Belarus” be evaluated as unfounded.
The complaint that the laws passed urgently restrict the constitutional right of the employees of the “Belorus” sanatorium to freely choose and work in the near future should reach the courts. Employees are convinced that even in the context of the interpretation of sanctions it is possible to turn the institution into an institution of public interest that provides qualified treatment to ordinary Belarusian citizens.
Information:
The “Belorus” sanatorium was established in 1946. The “Belorus” public sanatorium was established in Lithuania in 1997. Its work includes the treatment, rehabilitation and education of children with severe disabilities and the treatment and rehabilitation of adults. 2019 6,715 children from Belarus were treated in the sanatorium. The sanatorium has 539 treatment places, of which 410 are for children. Approximately 13,000 tourists receive treatment at the sanatorium each year. The sanatorium of public institutions “Belarus” has 393 employees, of which 354 are Lithuanian citizens and 37 are Belarusian citizens.
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