The Georgian Trade Unions Confederation (GTUC) expresses solidarity with the independent trade unions of Belarus and calls the arrest of the BKDP leadership by the State Security Service appalling.
“We express our solidarity with the independent trade unions of Belarus, especially when the leaders of the trade unions criticized the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, for his support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
We protest and find it appalling that, in addition to the whole series of arrests, the premises of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions (BKDP) in Minsk, the Free trade union of Belarus (SPB), Free trade union of Metal workers (SPM) and Union of Radio-Electronic Workers (REP) were also searched.
“We think these attacks are an example of the ongoing anti-union campaign of the Presidential regime of Belarus, which has intensified due to the criticism of President Lukashenko”, said Irakli Petriashvili, President of the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation.
The Georgian Trade Union Confederation expresses its readiness to engage in negotiations at all levels in support of the Belarusian brothers and sisters.
On April 19, 2022, leadership of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions (BKDP) – BKDP President Aliaksandr Yarashuk , BKDP Vice-President Siarhei Antusevich, President of Free Trade Union of Metal Workers (SPM) Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, President of Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB) Mikalaj Sharakh were arrested.