Lyavon Barshcheuski: «Main thing is defence of our Motherland’s independence »
8:21, — Politics
The objective of the Belarusian Popular Front’s activity headed by Lyavon Barshcheuski will be defence of independence of Belarus.
“The main thing is defence of our Motherland’s independence, because some tendencies to integration have appeared again. This is task ¹ 1. The Belarusian Popular Front is regarded by the society as a symbol or a guarantor of independence, so this struggle is of top priority now,” the new head of the party said in the interview to Charter’97 press center. Lyavon Barshcheuski is famous public figure and outstanding translator, he already headed the Front after Zyanon Paznyak had left Belarus.
– Mr. Lyavon, what did make you take such a serious decision to head the Belarusians Popular Front. It changes your life…
– Of course, it changes my life. Naturally, I thought I left this path, because I have many other plans, creative and working, I’ve made many promises. I think the decision was caused by the desire not to split the organisation on this congress. The composition of the congress was such, that it could have end in split. But I don’t think the composition of the Front is like that in general. I’d say the delegates didn’t give a full picture of the Front’s members. When I saw it, I understood, the threat was serious. That’s why I took a role of a guarantor of a non-split. It’s necessary to form proper working bodies of the party, reform governing bodies in regions and in Minks, prepare a person or people, who with no doubts can rule the Front in future. I see myself as an emergency manager in this situation.
– What development programme of the Belarusian Popular Front do you have?
– It’s necessary to make Front an appreciable force, by means of these or those forms of participation in election campaigns (they can be different), strengthening information and propaganda activity not only for the good of the united democratic forces. It is important, because we have worked not for our good, but for the good of the united forces for the last years. We should negotiate as a powerful partner, not as a dependent one. It is our plan of activity. It’s necessary the Front should be reckoned with.
– The congress has shown that the delegates divided into two equal parts – for Vyachorka and for Mikhalevich. How are you going to unite these people?
– There is no split in the Front. But due to the specific structure of election the delegates to the congress, and the events before the congress, the minority managed to gain victory over majority, and this always leads to split. I am sure Vintsuk Vyachorka would have a narrow victory in the election. And if he won the election, it would worsen the situation, because ordinary members of the Front would think that the leader is not a real one, he can’t be a leader, people would begin to hesitate and give up working. It’s necessary to infuse new spirit into the party. I had to sacrifice myself to save the situation.
– What can Belarusians expect from the Front? What will be the first steps?
– The main thing is defence of our Motherland’s independence, because some tendencies to integration have appeared again. This is task ¹ 1. The Belarusian Popular Front is regarded by the society as a symbol or a guarantor of independence, so this struggle is of top priority now. I support the initiative of Viktar Ivashkevich to come out to Kastrychnitskaya Square to the action of protest on 12 December ahead of Putin’s visit.
It should be reminded that candidature of Barshcheuski was supported by two other candidates Vintsuk Vyachorka and Ales Mikhalevich. They didn’t have necessary votes to win in two tours of election. They withdrew their candidates. And there was a third tour of election. 211 delegates from 242 voted for Barshcheuski.
The new head offered candidates of Vintsuk Vyachorka, Viktar Ivashkevich, Syargei Malchyk, Alyaksei Yanukevich and Uladzimer Labkovich as deputy heads.
Vintsuk Vyachorka, Viktar Ivashkevich, Ales Mikhalevich, Yuras Gubarevich and Alyaksei Yanukevich were elected deputy heads.
It should be reminded that Vintsuk Vyachorka, leader of the BPF, polled 118 votes, and deputy head Viktar Ivashkevich polled 110 votes in the second tour of the election. 242 delegates participated in the congress. According to the party’s statute, it’s necessary to get 50 per cent of the votes + 1 vote to become a head of the party. So, Vintsuk Vyachorka needed 4 votes more to win the election.
