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Scores of motorists protest new rise in motor fuel prices

Scores of motorists drove to central Minsk during the rush hour on Thursday to protest a fresh increase in motor fuel prices.

On July 21, the Belarusian State Petrochemical Industry Concern raised the retail prices of motor fuel by three percent on the average. The retail price of 95 octane gasoline rose by 3.3 percent from 4,500 to 4,650 rubels per liter, 92 octane gasoline by 3.1 percent from 4,200 to 4,330 rubels, Normal-80 gasoline by three percent from 4,000 to 4,120 rubels, and diesel fuel by 2.9 percent from 4,450 to 4,580 rubels.

Seeking to abort the event, the police closed sections of the city`s thoroughfare, Independence Avenue, to traffic, which led to massive jams at some intersections.

Many of the drivers stuck in the jams honked their horns and some moved too slow in a sign of their participation in the protest.

However, unlike during previous protests, only few cars were marked with white ribbons or stickers and no drivers pulled up pretending that they needed to carry out some repairs. Songs by Belarusian rock acts blacklisted by the authorities over their opposition to Alyaksandr Lukashenka`s rule blared from some automobiles.

At least about a hundred motorists appeared to be acting as protesters.

There was a heavy presence of traffic police in uniform on Independence Avenue, while multiple plainclothesmen filmed all passing cars. Buses filled with athletic men in civilian clothes were seen in the area.

All parts of Independence Avenue were reopened to traffic at around 8 p.m. //BelaPAN