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Belarusian Woman: I Stand For Fair Elections, For Lukashenka To Withdraw His Candidacy

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Belarusian Woman: I Stand For Fair Elections, For Lukashenka To Withdraw His Candidacy
PHOTO: SVABODA.ORG

Tsikhanouski’s picket became the most massive in Mahiliou since 1994.

The team of protest candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a picket in Mahiliou to collect signatures in support of her nomination - the most massive since 1994, when the very institution of presidency was introduced in Belarus, Radio Svaboda reports.

Supporters of Tsikhanouskaya staged a picket in front of the city executive committee.

“I stand for fair elections and for Lukashenka to withdraw his candidacy”

Four lines of people wishing to sign for Tsikhanouskaya stretched for 40 meters, for four hours. Both young and old people stood there. Some came with children. Everyone said that they expected such changes from Tsikhanouskaya “so that people themselves decide their fate and feel that something depends on them in their country.”

The music of Belarusian performers played in the square in front of the city executive committee. Bard Anatol Kudlasevich sang live. Slippers, an ironic symbol of Tsikhanouskaya’s campaign, lay on a table near the tables where people put their signatures.

The young woman stood in line for an hour to sign.

“I stand for fair elections, and for Lukashenka to withdraw his candidacy,” she said. “The main thing is not to make people vote for someone. I already know how this is done in schools and kindergartens. People are forced even under the threat of dismissal. And many give their vote. Is that how it should be? ”

“Tired of the same promises”

A woman of retirement age says that she expects changes from the Tsikhanoskis, so “that it would be easier for the grandchildren, that they could not meet one at a time, but at least could stand and talk and not end up in jail for that.”

“I’m sick and tired of the same old promises. Lukashenka only says things, but does nothing, - she is indignant. - For example, about the coronavirus. I am convinced that the authorities are silent about the real situation. If people knew the truth, they would be more careful. And that would be better for doctors.”

“We need to change something in our country ...”

For most of those who came to sign, the authority is not Tsikhanouskaya herself, but her husband, blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski. The Central Election Commission refused to register his initiative group because the man was serving 15 days of arrest and could not provide the documents personally.

“Who else? There are many candidates, but only he is young and worthy of attention,” said a middle-aged man who brought his family to the square near the City Executive Committee.

“He already earned respect by raising people against the system,” he continues. “I expect any changes from him - the main thing is not the same as now.”

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya herself was not present at the picket. Her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski arrived in Mahiliou.

He says that people who sign for his wife know that the authorities can remove her from the electoral race any time, saying that “there were violations”.

“This is most likely. People see what we do on the Internet. If they tell us that we have failed, this will be concrete evidence that the elections are rigged. In fact, we are participating in them to show how they are falsified. The fact that my wife is registered, and not me, is one of the proofs.”

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