What a long time we are asking!

A short time ago we could hear from lips of the most political parties’ leaders: if the regime won’t change the electoral legislation and won’t amend the Electoral code, parties won’t take part in the elections. They have been denied that. Then the following conditions have been laid down: to widen observers’ powers, to make transparent ballot boxes, admission to vote counting procedure. There was a denial again.

Now there are 4 new conditions: to register democratic candidates, to include democratic candidates to elections commissions, to stop repressions against activists and to allow working with voters, including admission to electronic mass media. And these conditions are not fulfilled either. Instead of that criminal cases against candidates, against “Young Front” members are opened, persons disseminating leaflets are arrested, opposition members are admitted to district commissions and mass media.

Are you not tired of begging? Of going on a leash of the authorities? Of accustoming oneself to the CEC every time, while they spit at all your proposals? For how long can you give encouragement to the electoral farce? It is your participation in the election gives it a necessary political weight. The game of elections is simply criminal while repressions are continuing, and people are kept in prison for their active citizenship. By taking part in the elections, the opposition plays into the hands of the regime, it plays at its filed and according to the regime’s rules, helping the regime’s legitimization. And this regime is responsible for arrests, abductions and assassinations.

Mr. Lyabedzka, are you sure that members of your party, Viktar Hanchar and Yury Zakharanka, would support your intention to participate in the electoral farce?

“When one is standing on the square with a portrait in your hands… I am trying to understand you, the people passing by, and are you concerned about something in this life? All you, who are looking outside trolleybus windows, what are you thinking about the faces on the posters? And you, people in camouflage, who are standing behind my back, can you understand that there is another life, which has many colours, not only a dirty gray? Those who had shot, do you understand that you cannot escape justice? And one understands that we must stand on the square with portraits… we must stand here for others to see us from trolleybus windows, from the other side of the street, from behind the back… They should know that we exist…”

These are the words from a leaflet which calls upon solidarity with the abducted people. They are still relevant now. In fact, it is a call to step over the bounds of the routine life, to make a step forward from the gray ranks, to stop pretending everything is all right. Today we are addressing participants of the elections with the call to leave the group of those who are indulge the regime’s total lawlessness, to show the power of solidarity and to show the dictatorship it’s place.

The regime says that the opposition is weak. But by its actions the opposition often shows its position is weak when it gives up on its own demands. Moreover, many oppositional leaders’ lack of consistency is already causing irritation in the society. Today a strong move can be made – to withdraw democratic candidates. Tomorrow, after recognition of the elections by the West (which can take place only thanks to your participation in the campaign) it will be too late.