Mikola Statkevich: “Regime has confronted serious opponent”

In an interview to Charter’97 a former political prisoner, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic party “Narodnaya Hramada” Mikola Statkevich has called the protest rally of small businessmen the most successful rally over the recent years.

“On one hand, the number of participants, a few thousands, was entirely anticipated, as not only economic interests of people are affected. A huge number of people is left without a chance to earn their living and placed on the verge of ruin. On the other hand, it was unexpected, as in absence of the earlier arrested leaders people have demonstrated an ability to organize and hold together,” the politician expressed his opinion.

As said by him, “for the first time in several years people marched down the central avenue from October square to the House of Government expressing their protest. They blocked traffic. They acted in a calm, persistent and determined manner. It looks like the regime understands that a very active and determined part of population is represented by entrepreneurs. These people won’t work at state enterprises for peanuts, they won’t live in barracks in Russia, but they will continue to defend their right for decent living in their country. The regime has faced a serious opponent,” Mikloa Statkevich has underlined. He believes that now everything depends on whether entrepreneurs will hold together after the protest rally.