Party leaders don’t recognise new “house” legitimate and call to protest

The political council of the political parties call on the international society to recognise the “parliamentary election” unfree and non-democratic, and new “house of representatives” illegitimate. The party call on their activists and all citizens of Belarus to go to October square of Minsk at 8.00 pm September 28 in sign of protest.

“It was the shortest Political Council, it lasted only for half an hour,” leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka told to the Charter’97 press center. “Decisions to three points were reached. The United Democratic Forces consider this “election campaign” to be unfair and illegitimate. At the final stage, we are going to focus on our access to votes counting and reveal evidences of rigging the results. So, we leave a decision on running or non-running in the election at the discretion of the candidates. Moreover, all democratic candidates should sign statements saying they don’t recognise “election” for the “house of representatives” legitimate. Even if a UDF representative gets to the “house of representatives”, he or she shouldn’t recognise this body and this “election” lawful.”

There was also decided that to carry on special work in the constituencies where no democratic candidates remained (35 constituencies), which aim is explaining to the electorate that there’s no alternative in their constituencies and there’s no sense to go to vote.

As BPF head Lyavon Barshcheuski thinks, the decisions, taken by the Political Council are worthy of support. However, he thinks if democratic candidates withdrew from “election”, there would be not 35 non-alternative constituencies, but 80 per cent of a total number.

“I think we can support this decision. The only thing – it is a rather half-way decision. Not 35 constituencies should be non-alternative, but all of them,” Lyavon Barshcheuski told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.

A main decision, taken at the Political Council of the opposition parties, is calling on people to protest against rigging the results of the “parliamentary election”, because there are only 47 democratic representatives among 70.000 members of polling station election commissions.

“We need to go to October square on September 28. If we say the election is unfair, it is not enough to state it, we need to express our protest through actions. There should be morality in policy. Coming to the square on the “election” day is citizenship. There’s no other alterative. Only those who find bravery and courage to go to streets remain in history. I think, we will show to the world how many people in Belarus overcome fear and are ready to struggle,” UCP leader Anatol Lyabedzka told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.