Minsk pays last respects to legendary Pesnyary soloist

Belarus said farewell to the legendary Pesnyary singer, the Honored Artiste of Belarus Leonid Bortkevich. He passed away on April 13, because of an old illness, which resulted in complications. The singer of such hits as "Aleksandrina", "Belarus", "Birch Juice", "Veronika" was a month short of his 72nd birthday. A civil funeral service in the Philharmonic Hall of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society was held Thursday. Fans, colleagues, friends and relatives saw the performer off to his last journey. His farewell ceremony was accompanied by the hits of Pesnyary on the stage that has opened the Belarusian vocal band to the whole world. The honored artiste of Belarus was buried in the Eastern Cemetery.