Defense ministry: People against military parades are Nazi successors

Talking to reporters at a news briefing on June 26, Col. Uladzimir Makarau, spokesman of the ideology department at the Ministry of Defense, commented on the initiative by members of the public to collect signatures against the military parade in Minsk. Those opposing the parade have proposed to move the event away from the city. As of writing, over 3500 have signed the petition. 

Colonel Makarau said that parades to mark Independence Day had been organized for 20 years since 1997 would continue to be organized. This holiday "ha not become a holiday for Belarusian radicals, those who are successors of Wilhelm Kube [the head of Nazi administration during the occupation of Belarus in 1941-1943." He described Kube as one of the most dangerous Nazi criminals. The Ministry of Defense spokesman compared those who object to military parades in Minsk with the Nazi collaborators during WWII and reminded that 10% of Belarus population were collaborators.