Hundreds of Belarusians came to bid farewell to Aliaksandr Milinkevich
Among them are many politicians and representatives of the creative intelligentsia.
Among those who came to bid farewell to politician Aliaksandr Milinkevich are democratic leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, writer Uladzimir Arlou, economist Siarhei Chaly, BelPol representatives Uladzimir Zhyhar and Matsvei Kupreychyk, political scientist and translator Ales Lahviniec, journalist Valaryna Kustava, Stanislau Shushkevich's granddaughter Stasia Hlinnik, sociologist Andrei Vardamatski, politician Aliaksandr Dabravolski, representative of the Center for New Ideas Anton Radniankou and political scientist Ryhor Astapenia, lawyer and ex-presidential candidates Viktar Babaryka and Ales Michalevich.
Ksiusha Zhuk and Artsiom Lukyanenka from Naviband came to say goodbye, as did Nexta editor Sciapan Putsila.
Yulia Charniauskaya, the widow of Yury Ziser, also came to bid farewell to Aliaksandr. They hugged Inna Kuley, the politician's wife, for a long time, deeply understanding each other's weight of loss.
Many former political prisoners were also present at the farewell. Among them, besides Viktar Babaryka, are blogger Sasha Ivulin, journalist Kseniya Lutskina, "Viasna" human rights activist Uladzimir Labkovich, publicist and politician Aliaksandr Fiaduta, journalists Volha Loika and Ihar Losik, and lawyer Illia Salei.
Representatives of the Chancellery of the President of Poland also came to pay their respects to the patriot of Belarus, who, among other things, fought for good neighborly relations with Poland. Karol Nawrocki conveyed condolences to the politician's family through his adviser Leszek Skibicki. He also, on behalf of the Polish president, presented Inna Kuley with the Officer's Cross of the Order "For Merit" to the Republic of Poland. Mr. Milinkevich was posthumously honored with this award "for outstanding merits in activities for the benefit of Poles in Belarus, for achievements in popularizing democratic values, and for engagement in building civil society."
A mountain of wreaths grew by the coffin with the politician's body. They were sent, among others, by the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, representatives of Warsaw University, and ambassadors of the Republic of Poland to Belarus from various years.
"We are bidding farewell to a great son of the Belarusian land. We are bidding farewell to a man who, for a large part of our Belarusian people, became a symbol of unwavering hope.
He showed us that freedom is not fought for with hatred in the heart. He showed that evil is overcome by good. And in this, he remained faithful to the wisdom of the Gospel.
His love for man and his earthly homeland, his love for his native Hrodna region, will be an example for all Belarusians," said Father Viachaslau Barok, holding back tears, in his farewell prayer.
See more photos from the farewell in our photo report.
In the Mironets family, the mother and three sisters have already been convicted for political reasons. Now the husband of one of the sisters has been arrested 44
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