Andrei Sharenda: Returning Stolen Right To Participate In Elections Should Be Main Priority

The regime is doing its best to neutralize the politicians who pose a real threat.

Activist of the European Belarus civil campaign from Brest Andrei Sharenda has commented upon the nomination of Mikalai Statkevich as a presidential candidate for the press-center of the Belarusian National Congress.

- A sole candidate from the opposition is a myth which usually played into the hands of the authorities. There was no sole candidate at the elections in Serbia and Ukraine, which are ususally set as an example of changes for Belarus. There was no sole candidate at the election-2010, but the campaign held back then was the most vivid and memorable. Neither in 2001 nor in 2006 there were so many people taking on to the Square, and the regime’s fear has never been so overwhelming before.

What we need is not some sole candidate who can be controlled by the authorities, but a strong candidate capable of winning the election and defending own victory afterwards. Mikalai Statkevich meets these requirements, just like a number of other BNC leaders. We see that the regime is trying to neutralize the politicians who pose a real threat for Lukashenka, so returning the once illegally stolen right to participate in elections should be the main priority, - Andrei Sharenda believes.