Ex-Afghan War Veteran: They Deprived Us Of Almost Everything

We have only the "sheepskin" with the status left.

Belarusian soldiers-internationalists have been left without any benefits, ex-Afghan war veteran Aleh Volchak reminded in his express commentary for Salidarnasts.

- In 1983 the Soviet government worked out a set of social guarantees for soldiers serving in the limited contingent of the Soviet troops in the territory of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and their families.

After the collapse of the USSR, the CIS countries agreed to preserve all these social guarantees by each participating country, - the human rights activist reminded.

Belarus has never left the CIS, but starting from 2007, it has constantly revised and reorganized social benefits for various categories of citizens, including soldiers-internationalists.

- In the end we were deprived of practically everything. We were trying to claim our right for free public transportation on the basis of "Agreement on mutual recognition of rights for travel privileges for invalids and participants of the Great Patriotic War and persons equated to them" of March 12, 1993.

But we were deprived of free travel as well. Also all the benefits for medicines, sanatoriums, queue for housing, travel on intercity transport, etc. were taken away. The only thing we can afford is to go to the military hospital in Barauliany for 12 days once a year, but not everyone agrees to go there because of the conditions.

Now the Afghan war veterans are left with only a "sheepskin" with the status, - Volchak said about the ID card.

The interlocutor noted that all the benefits for Afghan war veterans were preserved in Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.

- And Ukraine, with which they are always scaring us, even pays extra for combat awards and medals, - the internationalist said.

On the Day of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, commemorative letters were sent to the political prisoners - Afghan war veterans, including Mikalai Autukhovich.