Lyavon Barshcheuski: “West should stop dialog with Belarusian authorities on recognition of election”

Head of the Belarusian Popular Front Lyavon Barshcheuski thinks the action, held at October square in Minsk on September 16, has demonstrated unwillingness of the Belarusian authorities to democratise the country.

“The yesterday’s action showed the bounds of freedom, the regime is ready to allow. People were cordoned off, even permitted to hold some white-red-white flags in the center, until riot militia began to snatch away the flags and beat people. This “election” will have the same bounds of freedom,” Lyavon Barshcheuski told in an interview to Radio Svaboda.

How should the opposition behave in these conditions? Should it stop its running in the “election”? Lyavon Barshcheuski reminds that the opposition wasn’t allowed to election commissions and demonstrated by this that the authorities won’t count votes fairly. That is why the BPF head stands for withdrawal of most opposition candidates and focusing on observation in some constituencies, where the opposition have chances to demonstrate its power.

According to Lyavon Barshcheuski, the West should draw conclusion on the events of September 16.

“The West should stop a dialog with the Belarusian authorities on recognition of the “election”. These events have only confirmed that we will have no fair “election”. But we are interested in a dialog between the West and the executive branch of Belarus, because there are painful issues in energy, ecology, trans-border cooperation, and visa fees.”