Maksim Viniarski: Liabedzka can share responsibility for electoral frauds with Yarmoshyna

The leader of the United Civil Party should find strength to withdraw from the “presidential elections”.

It was said by Maksim Viniarski, a coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign, in an interview with charter97.org.

– Maryna Adamovich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, read his statement yesterday, in which he says that “participation of a part of the opposition in the elections makes the boycott less effective”. Statkevich also called on those who will come to vote to “write their message in the ballot paper that would clearly show the rejection of the ruling regime's policy”. Do you support these proposals?

– I don't find logical the tactic of writing messages in ballot papers. I think it's a mistake. Adamovich calls on people not to resist the authorities but to yield to them, giving them the finger behind your back. This is a weak step. I don't want to offend Maryna Adamovich and Mikalai Statkevich, whose courage needs no proofs. I remember that people, among them my friends, were invited to the imitative group and said, “either the registration of Statkevich or a boycott”. We cannot lead people away from resisting the authorities, from the struggle.

– Some opposition representatives are still going to run in the electoral farce...

– I think boycotting the “elections” is the only reasonable and strong strategy, taking into account that none of the so call candidates plan protests and call take to streets. The dictatorship cannot be defeated through “elections”.

I hope Anatol Liabedzka will find strength before the electoral farce to withdraw from the “elections”. Otherwise, his image will be tarnished in the eyes of those who have always treated him as a patriot and democrat. Anatol Liabedzka can share responsibility for electoral frauds with Yarmoshyna if he doesn't withdraw from the “elections” or if he doesn't have a secret plan.

Mikalai Statkevich wrote in his earlier letters from prison that he gave his consent to the formation of the initiative group to nominate him as a presidential candidate. “If the group is denied registration, a boycott must be announced,” the politician wrote.