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Health ministry denies political motives behind opposition activist's dismissal

There are no political motives behind the dismissal of medical doctor Ivan Sheha, an activist of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), the Ministry of Health says in a letter to the BPF.

Under the Labor Code, "the conclusion and termination of employment contracts with workers is the right of the employer," the ministry says.

At a meeting held on July 27, the BPF Soym (council) adopted a statement demanding that Mr. Sheha be immediately reinstated in his job as traumatic surgeon at the Slonim District Hospital.

Mr. Sheha, a highest-class traumatologist who has worked at the hospital for 30 years, was fired although the hospital administration had told him that his employment contract would be extended to at least the summer of 2014.

Mr. Sheha was a member of the Slonim District Council between 2003 and 2007. He also was a BPF candidate in elections for the House of Representatives of the Belarusian National Assembly.

“It is obvious that the dismissal of Mr. Sheha was initiated by officials in Minsk, not local authorities, and was politically motivated,” BPF leader Alyaksey Yanukevich said at the meeting. “Authorities use every possible means to intimidate activists of opposition parties and organizations.”

According to the statement, the dismissal of Mr. Sheha sparked indignation among Slonim residents, who started collecting signatures for a petition demanding his reinstatement and filed applications for permission to stage protests, which were rejected by the Slonim District Executive Committee.

“The BPF Soym expresses strong protest at the politically motivated dismissal of Ivan Sheha and joins his patients in demanding that he should be reinstated in his job at the Slonim District Hospital,” said the statement, which was sent to the Ministry of Health, the Hrodna Regional Executive Committee and the Slonim District Executive Committee. //BelaPAN