First signatures (Photo)

On September 30 the first stage of collection of signatures in support of nomination of candidates for presidency in Belarus. 17 candidates plan to collect the necessary quantity of signatures.

By the way, even now it is obvious that not all would succeed in this heavy-going thing.

In the next month pickets in the city, as well as door-to-door campaign by activists are to become an everyday occurrence. On the first day some candidates have set hands to the task actively.

Three pickets for collection of signatures have been noticed near Kamarouski market place. Despite of the rain the team of Andrei Sannikov was near the “Impulse” shopping centre.

The coordinator of “European Belarus” civil campaign was there as well. Young people urged passers-by to give their signatures in support of the candidate, and many did so with pleasure.

Passport details were copied by three girls, but sometimes this number of volunteers was not enough. Sometimes people stood in short queues.

It was noticeable that young girls were reluctant to put their names to the list, while senior citizens were more willing to come to the signatures collectors.

Some people did not have a passport with them, and they promised to come the next day.

Even those people who first refused to put their names. After an hour in that place, the team left for another spot. Today it is also planned to collect signatures near “Pushkinskaya” metro station.

It seems that Sannikov’s team has chosen a very convenient place for collecting signatures. And Kastusyou and Ramanchuk’s teams stood in a pedestrian underpass near the old ladies who sell hand-knit socks.

There were two persons in Kastusyou’s picket. One of them was a well-known lawyer Yury Chavusau.

Though people were coming near the stand, they were not leaving signatures. Some people said they are ready to give their votes to Lukashenka only, and others – to Paznyak only. There were numerous heated discussions on the verge of a row.

Yaraslau Ramanchuk was standing besides. His team was more numerous than the one of the Belarusian Popular Front. Everyone had a yellow T-shirt with the emblem of the campaign. The main claim to Ramanchuk was that he is… “so thin”. Only in my presence two potential voters expressed such an opinion. They haven’t subscribed their names because of that.

Other candidates have probably chosen other places. This is the first day of the lengthy marathon of collecting 100,000 signatures.