The collapse of the Soviet Union and the Revolutions of 1989 which saw also the collapse of the People's Republic of Poland made its impact on Bialystok. Following the liberalization of trade, The city became major transit and trade point for merchandise arriving from Belarus and Russia, and to support that, the City Market was established. The Communist party lost its monopoly over political life in the city and a process of decommunization began with changing names of streets and squares: Marcelego Nowotki changed in 1990 to Świętojańska, Lenina changed to Branickiego, Stalingradzka to Litewska, Swobodna to Dworska, Mikołaja Ostrowskiego to Grochowa, Mariana Buczka to Meksykańska, Stanisława Juchnickiego to Sukienna, Bronisława Wesołowskiego to Suraska and Zygmunta Berlinga to Józefa Hallera.