Pensioners: We Want to See Him to Resign

What do villagers say at pickets for signature collection?

What are the problems rural residents concerned about?

Charter97.org decided to talk to the representative of the Belarusian National Congress in Slonim, Viktar Marchyk, who is running a campaign for signature collection in rural areas of his region:

- I started to travel around the districts a few years ago. It was very useful to hear the opinion of people from the countryside. Their life is completely different. Plus, there are a lot of people in my team now, more than half of them come from the countryside.

It means that our daily work with people has been fruitful. People from the districts are overcoming their fear. After all, work is the vital option for them and if something is wrong, they are being intimidated by dismissal. That is, residents of agricultural settlements and villages were not interested in politics. The current situation in the country involves villagers to be more interested in the processes. Everybody is shocked by the fact that over the past 25 years their life has become worse, not better, as Lukashenka promised. People are not fools and they understand what's going on. They are becoming active and it's great!

During pickets, we learn how people live. How they work in collective farms, what problems they have and what they want. People in the regions, as well as all over Belarus, are concerned about miserable wages. Plus, they can work at unpaid works. Officials, using their power, simply use them as slaves.

- Do people resist?

- Of course! But, unfortunately, they see no one to protect them. Those who see our picket say: "For so many years none of the "deputies" has done anything! I answer them: "Read the information, I'm for the change of power. I stand for you. I .. the people".

A deputy should protect interests of people. What director will oppose the one who appointed him?

I explain and people begin to understand. Then read my biography, see what I have done during this time and sign.

I would like to note that the authorities follow us in the regions. They arrange pickets to scale down the tension we initiated with the signature collection. They say that if one has signed for a pro-governmental candidate, one has no right to sign for anyone else. This is not true! We explain that people have been deceived. They can sign. In general, they are not candidates, but only candidates for nomination.

By the way, I have recently told how a person wanted to open a farm in the Hrodna region. The field was all grown with weeds. He appealed to the local authorities: "Give me land, I want to work, I want to pay taxes". He was told: "Let the weeds grow". That is, their decisions simply run counter to common sense! In their opinion, it would be better for the field to be covered with garbage. This case just perfectly illustrates the attitude of the authorities towards people. They drive their Jeep and want us to drive Zhiguli.

They dream of turning us into compliant labour, and they are afraid to give us the freedom to earn money and pay taxes to the state.

- One of the goals of European Belarus in this political campaign is to change power at all levels. Do people in rural areas want the same?

- Once again, the villagers do not believe "deputies", but when I start to explain that I am an alternative candidate, their reaction is positive. People understand perfectly that the system itself and the top of the country are to blame. Now we have the Internet and smartphones, and one can't hide anything like it used to be in the USSR.

During my picket, there was a case when a pensioner approached and said that life after the war was better than under Lukashenka. That is, even after the war everything was restored, and now it's a complete decay. The current government does not appreciate people.

It is crucial for me to know that people share their feelings. I would like to note that the electorate, which supported Lukashenka, now realises what is going on. Lukashenka misses the support he used to have. I'm hundred per cent positive about it.

- Recently, Iryna Khalip wrote an article and noted that according to her observations, people often call the figure - 95. 95 per cent of people wants Lukashenka to leave. What do you think about it, having visited the regions?

- It is obvious that people long for changes and know that they are not to come under Lukashenka's rule. Belarusians are fed up with poverty. They feel deceived. I would like to emphasize that pensioners say: "We want one thing, to see how Lukashenka resigns. We want to see how our children will live a better life".

If you like this article, you can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL 97 1160 2202 0000 0002 1671 1123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com