Putin can be met with actions of protest in Minsk

Are independent forces going to organise actions of protest against Putin’s visit to Belarus? “Nasha Niva” has asked famous people about it.

Lyavon Barshcheuski, member of the Belarusian Popular Front: “Putin’s visit to Minsk is alarming news. The visit will last 2 days, it means some issues will be discussed at night. But only bad things can be solved at night-time. Putin is likely to try to nail Lukashenka down and made him agree with his conditions. The Kremlin has no conception other than Belarus’s entry Russian Federation. Many people have already forgotten about manifest by Sinitsyn and Parfenovich on annexion of our country by Russia. But there are people who are ready to put this plan into practice. No doubts, it is necessary to protest.”

Syargei Papkou, head of the Conservative Christian Party of the BPF: “We can’t know what Putin and Lukashenka will speak about. It looks like agreements between rats. Visits of this kind have never brought anything good. The threat to Belarusian independence has existed since 1994. If there are decisive youth who are ready to protest during the negotiations, we are ready to support them.“

Ivan Shyla, the Young Front activist: “Of course, it is necessary to organise actions of protest. The Young Front organised something like that during the CIS Summit in Minsk last year.”

Vechaslau Siuchyk, opposition activist: “This visit makes me afraid, because nobody knows why Putin is coming to Minsk. Neither authorities, nor opposition know it. I am concerned with the fact that this meeting will take place ahead of fateful events for Russia – congress of the United Russia and first session of the newly elected parliament. I think several variants of the development of the visit are possible – from neutral ones to very sorrowful for Belarus and its independence. If there is an opportunity, the actions should be organised before and during the visit.”

Moreover, Ales Mikhalevich, deputy head of the BPF Party has made a statement on this topic.

“Putin is coming in Minsk in a week. He wants to come here as a guest, but leave Belarus as a host. The pacts that one dictator is going to sign with the other one, are kept in secret. Crook business concerning independence of our motherland is afoot. Somebody is going to sacrifice Belarus to black schemes of these odious persons to stay in power.”

Ales Mikhalevich encourages members of the BPF, the youth, Christians, all people who care about destiny of their country to come out against Putin’s visit to Belarus:

“On 9 December, on Sunday, at 3.00 p.m. take a holy flag and come to the Main Post Office to send a telegram to Putin. Telegram from each of us with the words: “Get Away!” Let’s go to Nezalezhnasti Square, if they hinder us, we’ll go to the railway station, it can’t be sealed off. We’ll send letters by a train.”