Stanislau Shushkevich: “All these insults and lies cannot be tolerated”

Belarusians are tired of propaganda lies of the today’s authorities, believes the first leader of the independent Belarus.

Stanislau Shushkevich answered questions of journalists and listeners of the Russian service of “Svaboda” radio.

- You have taken part in the presidential election in 1994. 16 years have passed, and what has changed?

- The following has changed: then we have elections, and in two years, starting from 1996, there were no elections any more. All the times an operation of special services called “Elections” is carried out, when no vote count happens. Europe has documented that, and no elections in Belarus were recognized by civilized countries. So the atmosphere differs fundamentally. Judging by how the preparation for the so-called election is carried out now, everything would be as before. Observers won’t be allowed to look at the ballots, and for whom the votes had been cast.

- A question of a listener Syarhei from Moscow: What is more important: Batka (Lukashenka) or the independence of Belarus? As Lukashenka now is in the vanguard of preventing Russia from devouring Belarus. Belarus should be preserved at all costs, as it seems to me.

- You know, we should defend a Belarus which is a real Belarus. A real Belarus has never been hostile to Russia. And eh games of your so-called Batka (though it is offensive, I think a person should not be called like that), it is his irrational logics, when he says one thing, then another, a third thing… He cannot answer a single question. Only lies are heard from him, it was shown in the TV programs created by Russia (films “Godbatka” by NTV channel are meant). I am greatly thankful to Russian journalists for doing that. A person who lies without restraint. It is clear that we have only propaganda, and people are fed up with that, people cannot tolerate, it has stepped out of the line. And thank God that at last Russian politicians, the Russian press have turned attention to that.

Abuses showering from Minsk should not be tolerated. Only our so-called president could have said that the Russian leadership is “brainless”. He is an illegitimate president, he can say anything he wishes. So we should get rid of him, and we should bring the procedure of elections till the victory.

- You are saying that 80% of population is against Lukashenka. Then you should confirm that by fair elections. Can you control fairness of the election?

- Unfortunately, for today it is hard to control, as the election commission is headed by the lady, who had occupied this position illegally. The legal chairman of the commission, Hanchar, was in fact removed from office by Lukashenka. None of the elections have been recognized by Lukashenka. She must be thrown out neck and crop, she is not allowed to enter Europe. If such a lady would continue to be the head of the election commission, there would be doubts that the elections, like any other elections in Belarus, would be fair. Today everything is done for the election to be fraudulent. I repeat, that observers in Belarus, international observers cannot see the name of the candidate on this or that ballot paper, only commission members. And commission members are representatives of the regime, those who had been appointed by Lukashenka.