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Boycott and New Elections

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Boycott and New Elections

Politicians should bow down to the people of Belarus today.

That’s great that the political prisoners have been released. That’s great that so many people in Belarus rejoice at this release, find it an important event in their lives.

It means that our solidarity lives on. It means that we have no problems with our perception of the reality. It means that “Lives Belarus!”

A day before the release of the political hostages of the regime, the signatures collection for potential candidates in the “elections” has ended. And in this situation people behaved as citizens and voters, not as a crowd of extras during a shooting of a vulgar comedy. They simply denied giving their signatures to all candidates. Please note - to all of them. Lukashenka hurriedly announced that almost half of the adult population of Belarus offered their signatures in his support. It only means that the adherent of the “Big Lie” principle has only several hundreds of signatures received under pressure. Meanwhile, even one coerced signature should lead to a lawsuit and removal of the swindler from the elections.

Lukashenka remembers very well, how in 2010, starting from the stage of collection of signatures, he was publically denied support, and how the spiral of the public discontent with his rule was unwinding. He still has fear of its possible repetition. But he needs money badly, and only the West could give money, and the West insists on elections. That is why he has to organise an entirely controlled show with clowns and fakes.

You've got to feel for those few opposition activists who have taken part in it. Out of desperation or venturing at random, they have taken the risk of going against the sentiments of the people. And they crashed.

The people have remained true to their protest against the deprivation of the voting right, true to the Square 2010, ignored the “parliamentary” election in 2012, and now they said their final «no» to any Lukashenka’s elections.

The boycott of the “elections” has already taken place.

Any sane person is unlikely to take seriously further attempts of the regime to sell their unsalable stock with the help of decoys and servile election committees.

Not an election, but a false mummery is to take place in Belarus on October 11, and after that Lukashenka will demand to recognize his legitimacy, he will claim money from the West to support his power, which has long been illegal. For what end? Only to keep on thwarting the development of Belarus.

In 2010 we warned that without embarking on political and economic reforms, without fair elections Belarus would face a profound crisis, and would be unlikely to recover from it. That year presidential candidates were imprisoned, Russia supported Lukashenka and tied to itself through the Customs union even stronger. And now, under command of Russia, in a union with the Kremlin, Lukashenka has predictably brought the country to the collapse, financial and economic one.

The dictator will concoct the necessary percentage of votes in his support, but he won’t concoct decent salaries and pension allowances for citizens of Belarus. People know that, and on October 11 they will continue their protest against the regime which had crossed the line, they simply won’t go to the polls.

That’s the national trend today, as they say. And who would venture to go against the trend…?

Politicians should bow down to the people of Belarus today. I am doing so in all sincerity and with great gratitude.

In such a situation it’s pointless for oppositionists to look for the ways to participate in the upcoming show. It is necessary to demand the new elections, with new candidates, with real competition and under the international control.

I think that such an approach – boycott and the new elections – is to be supported by the majority of real (not fake ones, as in candidates’ signature sheets) citizens of Belarus.

Andrei Sannikov, the leader of European Belarus civil campaign, exclusively for charter97.org

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