Pro-Russian forces besting in Political Council

On August 31, The Political Council of the opposition parties postponed settling of the issue on running or non-running of party candidates in the oncoming “parliamentary election”. This question is to be considered again on September 21, the party members will run in the “election campaign” till this date.

It should be reminded that on August 30, Soim of the BPF party decided to withdraw its candidates from the “parliamentary election” till September 23. The candidates were recommended to use the possibilities of the election campaign to explain the electorate why the party refuses to run in the “election”.

Though there is no concrete decision of the Political Council, the BPF party is going to be solid for its views.

“A half-decision was reached today – to delay adoption of a concrete decision till September 21. Many people in the Political Council told the candidates should be withdrawn now. Honorary chair of the United Civil Party Stanislau Bahdankevich called to this. He said the candidates should withdraw as there is no “election”. However, most members of the Political Council didn’t listen to the opinion of the BPF party, the Christian democrats and Stanislau Bahdankevich and decided to delay this question. I think it doesn’t mean anything. They can delay it on September 21, too,” leader of the BPF party Lyavon Barshcheuski told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.

According to the politician, the Party of Communists of Belarus, the Party of Labour, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), the Party of Women “Nadzeya” voted for further running in the “election”. Supporters of Alyaksandr Milinkevich from the “For Freedom” movement didn’t vote, they said they would agree with any decision of the Political Council.

“Frankly speaking, it was the first time when I attended a session of the Political Council. In my view, it unites such broad range of political forces, that coming to reasonable decisions is impossible. Members of the Political Council are ready to make such consequences that it destroy the political will,” Lyavon Barshcheuski noted.

By the way, a question on offensive words of Syarhei Kalyakin, leader of the Party of Communists of Belarus, in relation to Belarus was raised at the session of the Political Council. In an interview to “Nasha Niva” newspaper, the politician approved that Russia had recognised independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and said “our country gained independence in a rather strange way, too...”

The BPF party suggested to condemn these statements of the leader of the communists. Moreover, Paval Sevyarynets, head of the organising committee on creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, said Kalyakin ad his party should be expelled from the democratic forces. Kalyakin said his words were misinterpreted by journalists, and the question was removed from the agenda.

Paval Sevyarynets commented to the Charter’97 press center on the decision of the Political Council to delay the question of running in the “election” till September 21:

“The today’s decision is as weak as the today’s Political Council of opposition parties is weak. We must say people now – don’t go to ballot stations, you will be deceived, don’t collaborate with the regime, don’t play its games. This Political Council is absolutely pro-Russian. The communists and their allies hold the majority in the Political Council today. A question on reforming the opposition will be raised just after the election campaign,” Sevyarynets said.

Candidates of the Belarusian Christian Democracy plan to withdraw from “election” till September 23. They are going to inform the electorate about boycott of the election farce.