Viktar Ivashkevich announces his joining Sannikov’s team

The head of the Mink branch of the Belarusian Popular Front announced this at a sitting of the party Soim (Council).

Viktar Ivashkevich made a public statement that he would cooperate with the team of presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, leader of the European Belarus civil campaign, at the presidential elections, Radio Svaboda reports.

He said he doesn’t want to “be involved in the rat race that now can be seen in the PBF party”.

“I do not want to splash in the stinking liquid. I want to struggle against the regime. My decision was caused by this desire, not by backstage intrigues,” the politician said.

The participants of the sitting asked if Viktar Ivashkevich planned to resign as the head of the city branch. Ivashkevich answered he would report on the situation to the members of the city organization and wait for their verdict.

BPF presidential candidate Ryhor Kastusyou said this decision surprised and even terrified him.

“I think it’s the start of buying up our party members. What is going now cannot be called otherwise than leasing members of the party and its Minsk’s branch,” Kastusyou stated.

Kastusyou called on the participants of the sitting to express their opinions on Viktar Ivashkevich’s statement.