Dashkevich: All members of Statkevich’s initiative group supported boycott idea

Boycott of the “election” is the only opportunity to show our might.

It has been said by a co-chairman of the Young Front and a former political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich in his comment to charter97.org website.

- Maryna Adamovich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, mouthed his address, in which, according to her, it is said that “participation of a part of opposition in the elections makes boycott ineffective.” There was also an appeal to those who are going to go to polling stations, “to write their message on a ballot paper, to clearly show their antagonism against the policy of the government in place.” As a member of Mikalai Statkevich’s initiative group, do you support these statements?

- First of all, I have not seen this letter from Mikalai Statkevich. Maryna Adamovich had not discussed such initiatives with me. But I can say that when we met with participants of the initiative group, with representatives of organisations, trade unions, which are its members, everyone supported the phrasing about boycott of the “elections” or abstention from voting. I have not heard at all somebody raising objections to that.

It is strange a different position has been mouthed. It has a right for existence. Such initiatives emerged during previous campaigns. Some people proposed to tear off half of a ballot paper and take it somewhere… It sounds nice, but it is unrealistic. It was unrealistic to perform 10 years ago, and it is unrealistic now.

My personal opinion, as well as the opinion of Young Front members, is that boycott is the only real opportunity to demonstrate our power.

Earlier in one of his letters from prison Mikalai Statkevich stated that he agreed to approve forming an initiative group for his nomination as a presidential candidate. “And after a guaranteed denial to register it, boycott should be announced,” the politician wrote.