Respublika to Take It to the Street :: Charter'97 :: News

Valery Frolov and Sergei Skrebets, members of the opposition Respublika group in the Belarusian National Assembly`s House of Representatives, announced Wednesday their intention to organize a large-scale demonstration in Minsk on July 21 to mark the end of Aleksandr Lukashenko`s ten-year presidential rule. The demonstration, according to General Frolov, would be staged in the form of a meeting of deputies with voters. Dozens of thousands of people from all over Belarus are expected to attend. The authorities appear to have taken the lawmakers` intention very seriously. Evidence of this was their attempt to hamper the news conference, which Frolov and Skrebets planned to hold inside the House of Representatives. The lower chamber`s secretariat had issued not a single pass to journalists and all approaches to the buildings had been blocked by police officers and plainclothesmen since the early morning. The lawmakers had to hold their meeting with reporters in the open air, near the Red Church on Independence Square.

General Valery Frolov looked very determined:

— The ten-year period of Lukashenko`s rule, which was assigned to him by the Constitution, expires on July 21. On this date, we plan to appeal to the people and ask them whether Lukashenko is worthy of staying in power for a third term, which he has repeatedly talked of lately.

Frolov said that dozens of thousands of people would arrive from all across the country to attend the meeting. Invitations will be sent to civil servants, to ministries, trade unions, non-governmental organizations and, finally, to Lukashenko personally. The lawmaker noted that the rally would be held in strict accordance with regulations governing street demonstrations.

— The first 100 days of a presidential term are usually marked. But we plan to mark the 10 years of his rule and sum up the results. I believe the tens of thousands of people in attendance will express the opinion of the entire nation. It seems to me that people are not very happy with these ten years.

Valery Frolov expressed certainty that the authorities are afraid of the Respublika group. Evidence of this is the pressure put on the general`s team. The authorities have arrested Mikhail Marinich, a former minister and diplomat, and instituted criminal proceedings against Tatyana Protko, head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, who actively cooperated with the Respublika group. As an illustration, Frolov showed an official denial from KGB chief Leonid Yerin to release Mikhail Marinich, arrested in late April, on his own recognizance despite numerous bail offers, alleging that he might flee the prosecution.

— Mikhail Marinich is an honest man. A former ambassador and an ex-minister. Why should he be in hiding? The more so, as he is innocent. I am sure of this," Frolov said.

Asked what contacts the Respublika group currently has with the Russian authorities, he said:

— We returned from Moscow just yesterday. Believe us, we had meetings at a very high level, although I will not name names for the time being. The relations seem to be very good.

As Deputy Sergei Skrebets said, a group of some 20 lawmakers met with Aleksandr Lukashenko in the lower chamber not long ago. The discussion focused on Lukashenko`s reelection for the third presidential term to decide how to do this correctly and not to lose face in the eyes of Europe and especially Russia. It was noted at the meeting that the leadership of the country has lost much of its potential and the current situation plays against the incumbent authorities, that if other people came to power, everybody would be held responsible, and that Lukashenko alone could guarantee the immunity of those who currently work in public administration.

Lukashenko believes that it is difficult for him to run for the third term, as he no longer has anyone to lean on for support. He reportedly complained that those around have already stolen enough to ensure their well-being, solved their personal problems and are now ready to surrender the president. The meeting reportedly resulted in a decision to form groups of MPs who would be busy with preparations for a national referendum on a new status for the legislature to entitle it to elect the country`s president.

Reporters also asked questions about rumors that Ural Latypov, head of the Presidential Administration, and Leonid Kozik, chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, have handed in their resignation. The lawmakers said that they had heard of this but could not confirm it. It was also rumored that Ivan Titenkov, a former chief of the presidential property department, would come back to serve with the Lukashenko government.

In conclusion of their meeting with journalists, Frolov and Skrebets announced that their would try to cooperate with all pro-democracy associations, alliances and youth groups. The Respublika group has had very good relations with the Five Plus alliance, the European Coalition "Svabodnaya Belarus," and youth organizations, they stressed. The lawmakers expressed hope that there would be work for all during preparations for the July 21 demonstration. MP Valery Frolov confirmed specially for the Charter `97 press office that the demonstration would be held in Minsk on July 21.

— We will not be hiding in the woods like Lenin, who held May Day rallies there. In the capital of our Belarus, Minsk, there are enough places where tens of thousands of people could gather together," the general said.