Zmitser Bandarenka: “Opposition does not let its people down!”

“Release of Artur Finkevich is a great joy for his family, friends, for all normal people in Belarus. It’s our common victory,” stated the Charter’97 coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka, commenting on today’s release of the political prisoner Artur Finkevich.

As said by him, “recent releases of Belarusian political prisoners has become possible only thanks to a powerful campaign of solidarity both inside the country and abroad. Solidarity is a great power. When citizens of Belarus and concerned people in other countries take part in rallies of solidarity on the 16th day of every month, when they pray for release of political prisoners, express support to their families, all these actions which at first glance are unpretentious, and finally they bring freedom,” the politician is convinced.

To the question of the Charter’97 press-center about the role of the international community in release of political prisoners Zmitser Bandarenka said:

- I am convinced that the firm stance of the EU leadership and the US he has had no small share in that. I think that a huge influence on sobering of the Belarusian regime were sanctions of the US against Belneftekhim concern. At last Lukashenka has understood that nobody will be coquetting with him anymore. The regime can charge the Belarusian opposition with anything they want, but now they understand perfectly well that opposition never lets down its people. That is why we are waiting for a quickest release of political prisoners Alyaksandr Kazulin and Andrei Klimau, Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou convicted by a “shariat court”, and a young defender of small businessmen’s rights Andrei Kim.

- Can release of political prisoners Zmitser Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich (Young Front), entrepreneurs Mikalay Autukhovich and Yury Lyavonau show that the regime is ready to start a dialogue with the democratic opposition?

- We are set to insist on release of all political prisoners and complete cessation of repressions against opponents of the current regime. The opposition has expressed its proposals on the dialogue with the authorities, but hasn’t received any answer yet. That is why everything depends on common sense of the regime. If the repressions would be stopped, if the change of approach of the country’s leadership towards organizing the parliamentary election would become real, undoubtedly it would be noticed both by the opposition and the EU Countries. The regime should use the chance for renewal in the situation in the country, for democratic changes expected by all Belarusians.

- Will the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic proclamation on March 25 a kind of a trail for the regime in the issue of readiness for democratic changes in the country?

- The leadership of the public committee on celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic proclamation proposed the authorities to announce 2008 the Year of Belarusian Statehood, but the answer was negative. However, for the period of the year Belarus will celebrate both proclamation of the BNR and the BSSR foundation. The opposition believes that the BSSR would not appear without the BNR, and there would not be the today’s independent Belarus without the BSSR. That is why in a historical sense it was proclamation of the BNR that laid the foundation for the Belarusian statehood. That is why the regime should join the public and celebrate these historic and significant events together.