BCD: These “elections” must be recognised illegitimate right now

The organising committee to create the Belarusian Christian Democracy party (BCD) released an appeal to activists and political forces of Belarus.

The appeal was released by the BCD organising committee in connection with the announcement of the date of the presidential “elections” and the growing number of speculations about the legitimisation of the current authorities in the face of a threat to Belarus' independence from Russia. The Belarusian Christian Democracy party calls on all democratic forces of Belarus and activists to join the assessment of the electoral process as illegitimate, the BCD press service reports.

“Favourable for the regime foreign policy conditions give cause to many in Belarus and abroad to call for the legitimisation of the regime. One of the causes is a possible assessment of the upcoming campaign as “more democratic” than previous ones.

We emphasise that these “elections” are being carried out without regard to the assessment of the referendums of 1996 and 2004, which results were recognised illegitimate, by international human rights groups, the OSCE and governments of democratic countries. It means that no one has the right to be elected president for more than two terms.

The main opponents of the regime, including former presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich, Andrei Sannikov and many other politicians, are illegally deprived of the opportunity to run in the elections. The electoral legislation has not been amended.

It gives grounds to assess the presidential campaign as illegitimate right now and not to recognise its results.

The legalisation of the current authorities will be unable to defend the independence of Belarus and will make legitimate all acts on surrendering the country's sovereignty that have already been signed or will be signed in the future,” the appeal reads.

“Premature concessions to the regime on the ground of economic interests can lead to a catastrophe in the future. There are all grounds to gather together and assess the upcoming campaign despite the lack of unity of the democratic opposition and regardless of the political campaigns carried out by various political forces. It will be the right step for all democratic forces of Belarus,” BCD co-head Vital Rymasheuski said.