Syarhei Kalyakin: The Congress is to take place, with our without Milinkevich :: Charter'97 :: News

Yesterday’s statement by the chairman of the Political council of the united democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich about his refusal to take part in the Congress of democratic forces was taken by oppositionists in their stride, an internet-resource “Belorusskiy Partizan” believes. As we have informed, the congress is to take place in the middle of March.

The politician has explained his denial by the fact that instead of a wide forum of opposition, the congress is more likely to turn into a training ground for sorting out relationships of political structures’ leaders. “I cannot remain a hostage of this situation any more, and I do not want to take part in the in-fight. Democrats are in many cases justly blamed for absence of real actions. I don’t want all the potential of the democratic forces to get drowned in the competition of leaders of the parties,” Alyaksandr Milinkevich told in his statement.

Syarhei Kalyakin, a leader of the Party of Communists of Belarus, who headed the national election campaign team of Alyaksandr Milinkevich in 2006, told in an interview to the “Belorusskiy Partizan”, told that he finds the move of the politician “not very provident”.

“If he doesn’t want to participate in the general democratic process, he has a right for that. But a decision of one man, who doesn’t have real structures, cannot stop preparation for the congress. That is why with our without Milinkevich the congress is to take place,” S. Kalyakin said. He noted that as a rule, attempts of individuals to go outside the general track of political process end in failure.