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Vatslau Areshka: Boycott of “elections” will be answer to expectations of Belarusian society

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Vatslau Areshka: Boycott of “elections” will be answer to expectations of Belarusian society
Vatslau Areshka

It can make the authorities lose their balance.

Mikalai Statkevich said at a press conference of opposition leaders on August 28 that the upcoming “elections” were already rigged and proposed to unite on the platform of demanding new democratic elections.

Vatslau Areshka, a culture expert and member of the organising committee to create Belarusian Movement party, spoke to charter97.org about the strategy.

– How can you comment on the initiative proposed by Mikalai Statkevich and other opposition leaders regarding the non-recognition of the upcoming “elections” and demanding new elections?

– I have an ambivalent attitude towards the intention to demand new democratic elections. Demanding new elections is possible only if you are strong. Unfortunately, the opposition is not strong now.

I think we can unite only under the slogan of not running in the “elections”, explaining to people why they should ignore the “elections”. It can make the authorities lose their balance, while any form of participation will legitimise the authorities in one way or another.

When it becomes obvious that people have ignored the “elections,” we can speak from a position of strength and set next demands, relying on the majority in society. We need to respect the position of society. One of problems of opposition is that it often formulated the strategy without considering moods in society.

The boycott of the “elections” will be the answer of opposition to expectations of Belarusian society.

I deeply respect Mikalai Statkevich and welcome his desire to follow the way of uniting healthy political forces.

– In general, the demand of new elections was called the “maximum task” that may take a long time. The participants of the press conference called the nearest “elections” rigged and urged to ignore them.

– I fully agree with it. In my view, the participants of the press conference should have formulated the idea of boycotting the “elections” in a clearer way, so that people could understand what they are proposed. It will allow opposition to interact with society more effectively.

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