15 people mark Independence Day in a sobering station in Minsk

Ahead of the July 3 Independence Day celebrations, Minsk Mayor Mikhail Paulau ordered the city police to treat the drunks decently and take them home instead of sobering centers. The European Radio for Belarus decided to find out if this Mayor's order was fulfilled. Denis Semianets, the deputy director of a sobering station in Minsk, said that people who were able to spell out their home address were simply brought to their homes. It is a standard procedure, he said.

Over 500,000 people took part in the street festivities in Minsk yesterday. Only 15 people aged 20-30 years old were taken to a sobering station.

Semianets: “Mostly, they were those who could not pronounce their address or disoriented people from outside Minsk”.