Belarusian opposition struggling to unite ahead of polls :: Charter'97 :: News

Pavel Sevyarynets, one of the leaders of the Young Belarus [opposition] coalition, has accused the Five-Plus Popular Coalition of unwillingness to set up a single democratic bloc at the 2004 parliamentary elections. He said this on 29 January at a regular session of the Belarusian Think-Tanks nongovernmental organization which was held at the Minsk international education centre. According to him, "the five" is "the most intolerant" [alliance] with regard to the unification of democratic forces ahead of the election campaign which is of key importance for the country.

The politician noted that Young Belarus finds understanding with the European Coalition "Free Belarus" and the [opposition-minded] Republic faction in the National Assembly`s House of Representatives [parliament`s lower house], however, the Five-Plus coalition does not want compromise.

Sevyarynets said that the popular coalition cannot become the centre of the opposition as it unites parties advocating two opposite ideologies [nationalism and communism]. The Party of Communists of Belarus poses the main threat to "the five" as, according to him, it may withdraw from "the five" at any moment.

Taking part in the discussion, Uladzimir Nistsyuk, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People`s Hramada) which is a member of the European Coalition "Free Belarus", once again called on all Belarusian democratic forces to unite and to work out a single strategy and a programme of action for the parliamentary elections.
Sevyarynets believes that if the opposition fails to unite, democrats will "take a drubbing" one more time at the elections.

For his part, a representative of "the five", BPF-Revival Party [Belarusian People`s Front] deputy chairman Yuryy Khadyka said that "the five" is the only opposition centre around which all democratic forces should unite. He called on other democratic blocs to join the Five-Plus coalition. The politician said that the creation of other coalitions was "an attempt to split the opposition".

At the moment there are three democratic blocs in Belarus - the Five-Plus Popular Coalition, the European Coalition "Free Belarus" and the Young Belarus coalition.

The Five-Plus Popular Coalition unites six parties: the United Civic Party, the BPF-Revival Party, the Belarusian Labour Party, the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, the Party of Communists of Belarus and the Belarusian Party of the Greens.

The European Coalition "Free Belarus" unites two political parties: the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People`s Hramada) and the Belarusian Women`s Party "Hope", as well as several dozens NGOs.

Young Belarus has been formed around the Young Front unregistered [opposition youth] organization. The coalition also unites representatives of the BPF-Revival Party, the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, deputies of local councils, small businessmen and representatives of the ecological movement.
Each of these blocs intends to present its list of potential parliamentary nominees at the elections.