19 March 2024, Tuesday, 6:18
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Most Belarusians will boycott “elections”

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Most Belarusians will boycott “elections”
Vital Rymasheuski
Photo: Radio Svaboda

The “presidential campaign” in Belarus can be called illegitimate right now.

The “election” date has been set. It is obvious for most people that it launches not the election campaign but the campaign to inaugurate the same person. I am sure that it is the reason why, despite the legal ban on boycotting, most Belarusians will boycott the “elections” without any calls from the opposition. Voter turnout declared by the Central Election Commission and the name of the “winner” are obvious. No changes are expected here. However, there is one new thing in the 2015 campaign.

Speculations are growing amid the situation in Ukraine that the current authorities must be legitimated in the face of a threat to Belarus' independence from Russia. Favourable for the regime foreign policy conditions give grounds to many people both in Belarus and abroad to call to the legalisation of the regime. One of the grounds for the legalisation may be the assessment of the upcoming campaign as “more democratic” and “less repressive” compared to previous ones.

The legalisation of the current authorities will not only fail to defend the independence of Belarus but will make legitimate all acts on surrendering the sovereignty that have been signed or will be signed in the future. Premature concessions to the regime for the sake of short-sighted political pragmatism can lead to a catastrophe in the future.

The country's democratic forces carry out three independent observation campaigns. At least four opposition candidates have confirmed their plans to run in the elections. The campaign for the release of political prisoners will be carried out.

One important thing is being hushed up. The “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.

Despite the lack of unity in the democratic opposition and regardless of the political campaigns carried out by different political forces, Belarusian Christian Democrats call to assess the upcoming campaign as illegitimate. It will be an important political step to protect both democracy and the country's independence.

Vital Rymasheuski, specially for charter97.org

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