Deputy Chairman of regional executive committee: Lukashenka has had it

Mass media have offered to a representative of the state apparatus to express opinion about the current election campaign.

For obvious reasons he preferred to express his opinion on condition of anonymity.

- Tell us please what is your evaluation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s programme?

- Frankly speaking, as just a sheet of paper. Not a single concrete work, no fresh ideas. We have read that under his signature back in 2001. But the time was different then, and then Russia paid for all his whims. Now he is in a row with Russia. Not Belarus, but Lukashenka had a spat with Russia. And Belarus is to suffer.

- But there are concrete achievements. For instance, the average salary of $500 in the country is almost reached…

- You know, better do not remind me of that. We are thinking with horror what will happen after the New Year, when these 500 dollars are to turn into 400 dollars, and then into 300. It’s good for him, he will hide in his residence. And we would have to go to people and explain it! What shall we say? Please forgive us, people; Russia had attacked us with prices, and al your incomings have evaporated!

- And do you believe in the assistance from the West?

- Ostap Bender believed that Europe would help him. I do not believe in that. Two thirds of our production in our region is oriented for Russia. Will the West buy all that?

- However, we are demonstrating our pride and independence.

- Pride and independence? Is it when he asks for a meeting with the president of Russia, and he refuses and flies away? Or when our president arrives for a summit, and is not accepted there, so he has to play hockey, while others discuss business issues? It is not a price. It is a howling shame for the entire country.

- So, there is no way out, is there?

- There is no way out. There is hope.

- Is it a hope for a miracle?

- It is a hope for the nation. You should understand, we, state officials, are persons of service status. There is enough damaging information against each of us. And if there is no such information, it would be invented. So we would have to write figures the way we would be told by him. And all of us would look at the watches. When there will be 8 p.m., we will go to look on the web how many people had gathered on the Square in Minsk. The more people would gather, the less fear we would have. And it would be easier, psychologically easier, to tell the truth.

- Don’t you really have any fear of the opposition?

- Why should we fear them? I was n instructor of district committee of the Communist party, when Nyaklyaeu received an award of the All-Union Lenin Communist Youth League (Komsomol). Sannikov is a former civil servant himself. They won’t hang or impale anyone. They are normal people. In e worst case they would dismiss someone. But I will find job myself.

I am sure that Lukashenka’s rule will come to an end. This idiocy will end. This boorishness will end. It’s becoming a positive shame to live like that.