Andrei Stryzhak: I don't plan to participate in “elections”

Even a democratic member of the local council cannot do anything useful.

Andrei Stryzhak, a coordinator of the youth network of the Electronics Trade Union, said it to charter97.org.

“This year's local 'elections' is the first electoral campaign since 2001 in which I am not going to take part as a candidate, as a voter or as an observer. I will not go to local 'elections' until the real status of local government bodies is changed,” he said.

The trade union activist underlined that even a freely elected democratic member of the local council cannot do much useful for voters, because the local councils have little power in comparison with the government chain of command – executive committees.

“Elections show all dreamers how the state treats all those who don't want to march to its drum,” Andrei Stryzhak said.

We remind that none “elections” and “referendums” in Belarus have been recognised by international organisations since 1995.