Milinkevich and Lukashenka’s Open Debates on BBC :: Charter'97 :: News

While on September 18 Alyaksandr Lukashenka gave an interview to the BBC radio, the leader of the united democratic forces of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich addressed the administration of the radio station and called upon holding open debates with Lukashenka. “In an interview of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to the Russian BBC service on September 18 he presented his vision of the Belarusian political situation, mentioned political prisoners, elections and freedom of expression. To my mind, Lukashenka’s interview with its many inaccuracies is an persuasive example of how his propaganda machine manipulates facts and opinion of the Belarusians… In this connection, considering the reputation of the BBC as one of the most reputable world media, we propose you be promotive of democratic debates and give the floor to representatives of the democratic forces of Belarus,” Alyaksandr Milinkevich said.

According to the politician, “world free mass media are a rare possibility where we have equal conditions with the regime in order to express our opinion on situation in Belarus. It is very important for us, because due to Lukashenka’s rule equal conditions for democratic debates in regime-controlled mass media are absolutely impossible”.

In case the BBC would find it possible to afford ground for democrats, the following forms of their participation in a program:

1. Open debates between Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Alyaksandr Milinkevich;

2. A. Milinkevich’s appearance in the program Hard talk;

3. An interview with A. Milinkevich;

4. Open debates between representatives of the democratic forces and the regime.