Zmitser Dashkevich: “Most of democratic parties will join the boycott”

Young Front youth organisation declared it would support the boycott of the “elections.” Leader of the organisation Zmitser Dashkevich explained the efficiency of the suggested political action in an interview to «Radio Racyja».

– Firstly, one should understand that elections are a process of dialog between the authorities and people, who want some changes, moreover, if they live in a totalitarian society. The current authorities demonstrate that it is not going to have a dialog. Keeping Alyaksandr Kazulin in prison, trial of 14, sentences to Andrei Kim and Syarhei Parsyukevich, brutal beating of peaceful demonstrators on 25 March prove it. In my view, running in the elections and voting is a wrong step in these conditions. Moreover, even now, four months before the elections, head of the Central Electoral Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna says she is not entitled to include democratic parties’ representatives into electoral commissions.

The Presidential Administration in the person of Natallya Pyatkevich says it won’t have a dialog on the elections with the opposition. It is the evidence that the elections resemble a one-man show, and we are not going to take part in them. What concerns inefficiency and unpopularity of boycott, many democratic activists, undoubtedly, go to the elections. But I am sure in the course of time they will join the boycott in the form of partial boycott. It means a candidate runs in the elections, conducts an election campaign, explains the electorate that if the elections are not democratic, they shouldn’t go to polls, but should take to October Square. Two strategies of boycott – full and partial- will be combined.

– What will be a result of the boycott, the Young Front calls to?

– One should understand that a boycott doesn’t mean just laying on a sofa, it is a responsible and prepared campaign. During this campaign we will explain to the population: “Your vote has been stolen now. The statements of the Central Election Commission and the Presidential Administration demonstrate it. Counting of the votes will be possible when we come to the main square - Kastus Kalinouski (October) Square.”

– You once said the Young Front would hinder the Belarusian Communist Party candidates during the elections. Does your strategy include this now?

– We are not going to hinder any person. I meant a total broad campaign against the communism. We constantly carry on this campaign in various forms and actions. Of course, we will continue to carry it on, because we think the communism impersonates spiritual degradation of our nation. During the boycott we will conduct a wide informational campaign and explain our positions to people.

– What other political forces are ready to support you? For example, coordinator of Charter’97 Zmitser Bandarenka has recently called to boycott.

– We will cooperate with organisations, which will support our strategy. In know that a partial boycott, when candidates are withdrawn some days before the elections, is actively discussed in democratic parties. I am sure most of the democratic parties will join this process and the combining of these two lines of activity will be efficient.

– There was a though on a recent session of the Political Council of the United Democratic Forces that if even one democratic candidate is in the “house of representatives,” he or she will be able to control the executive power.

– It seems so funny to me that I don’t know how to comment on it. Friends, we should realise what country we live in. Even if one, two or three candidates are elected for the “house of representatives,” they will be the candidates, appointed by Lukashenka. They will be convenient for him candidates. A question raises - do we need such candidates? It won’t be good developments, because with the help of these pseudo-democrats, appointed by Lukashenka to the parliament, he will partially legitimise the “house of representatives,” and will be able to use this legitimisation for political jugglery, for instance integration with Russia.