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Viktar Marchyk: Everybody’s Ready for Power Shift

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Viktar Marchyk: Everybody’s Ready for Power Shift
Photo: nn.by

Not "elections" but the Square will bring changes.

Mass pickets for protest candidates are simultaneously held in dozens of cities in Belarus. Viktar Marchyk, the activist of the European Belarus civil campaign from Slonim, shared with Charter97.org his impressions about the latest events in the country:

- I have been participating in election campaigns in Belarus for many years but I have never seen such lines to alternative candidates. The country is stirred up; people are waking up. Their eyes and ears can't be closed anymore.

Over 26 years, Lukashenka's system of power has completely degraded; the country has been plundered by top officials, his closest successors.

My observations say that the situation in Belarus is close to a revolutionary one. Not only active citizens and opposition leaders but almost all the population longs for changes. Moreover, almost everyone realizes that the changes will come not in the "elections" but the Square. Those people previously not interested in politics are talking about taking to the Square.

It's getting harder for Lukashenka to retain his criminal and corrupt power. In principle, only a small group of people who is to be tried for violations of the Constitution and criminal offences as a result of the power shift can cling to this regime.

- What is a peculiar feature of protest pickets in your region?

- I took part in all the Slonim pickets for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The first thing that impressed me was the number of participants. At the same time, people show the signature collectors for Lukashenka the bird. I know of cases at Slonim enterprises when workers told their superiors: "No, we won't vote for Lukashenka". This happens for the first time.

The activists of the Countries for Life and journalists of their independent mass media were at our pickets and talked to people. I was wondering why Slonim residents came. Almost every person says that it's time to change this system and there will be no progress under Lukashenka. Women often say that this power has parted their families. They see their husbands once in six months when they arrive from work.

Workers who work for at least $130-140 per month take an even tougher position. They believe that the authorities gave up on them. They want to eat redfish, black caviar like Lukashenka and travel to warm seas at least once a year. You know this is a classic revolutionary situation. A worker considers this power as a bunch of criminals who stole from him.

The ridiculous provocation against Siarhei Tsikhanouski and his arrest in Hrodna has added more fuel to the fire. People gathered in groups in the streets and discussed it. Someone laughed at the clumsy work of the authorities, but many others became even angrier. Lukashenka made it only worse. People were shocked by this impudence. More people started coming to pickets.

In this regard, I'd like to address people wearing shoulder straps: do not follow the criminal orders of the authorities. Doing this, you become criminals. When the power changes - it is about to change - you will find yourself in the dock. No words like "You know... We had an order... We didn't mean to..." will not work! There will be a trial and you'll be punished with the full force of the law. It doesn't matter whether you wear shoulder straps or sit in offices, or count votes in commissions... It's high time to choose your future.

- Why do you think that power is about to change?

- I've been watching Lukashenka's activities for a long time. Everything around him has just recently started to fall apart. He is making mistakes all the time.

In general, Lukashenka is a coward by nature. He is really scared now. He acts even more inadequately because of it. Lukashenka does not trust his entourage and is afraid of any attack in his direction. He is getting nervous and shivering at the slightest disturbance of the air around him.

People see it. People see his nervous movements and they laugh, feel shocked and angry. His moustache cannot intimidate anyone.

Lukashenka pushed away even those people who were more or less loyal to him. His electorate has already seen what he has inside. He is rotten to the core.

I have to go to the local officials. Almost all of them are reasonable people who understand that the situation is changing in the country. In private conversations, they say that they understand everything, but can't go against him in an open yet; otherwise, they'll be replaced. They take a wait-and-see stance. However, the vertical in the regions is mainly against Lukashenka.

I know that they are very tired of all it. They will vote against Lukashenka, that's for sure. In fact, they have already made their choice. Although they are in the system, they will stand against Lukashenka.

It also regards ordinary employees and junior officers of the Slonim police. Pickets for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya have served as tests. If they wanted, they could set any kind of provocation. However, nothing like that happened. On the contrary, the attitude to initiative groups of alternative candidates was polite.

- How did the coronavirus epidemic affect the attitude to power?

- Zhyrovichy Monastery has become a hotbed of the virus. This problem has quickly become very actual for people.

Everybody knows that the official statistics are greatly understated. When people see their relatives getting sick, and many people die later while one lies from TV screens about the number of the deceased.

People blame Lukashenka for it. However, it is also fair. He has let this disease in our country. All these deaths from the coronavirus are on his conscience.

In our city, people talk about it in public. I understand them. My aunt died during the epidemic. Of course, coronavirus was not mentioned. However, she was buried in a closed coffin. It's clear what caused death.

Lukashenka has turned into "Sasha 3%". Many people know me in the city, I am engaged in legal support of citizens and humanitarian aid. Because of my active position, as I said before, I have to visit local officials. I can say for sure that everyone is ready for a change of power. Even local leaders not involved in this mess are ready to change it. All the more, they know that as soon as power changes, one will need professionals.

People in offices who have obeyed the law are not afraid of changing the government.

- What steps do you think we need to take for changes to come?

- As Mikalai Statkevich said, we need to break the game of Lukashenka. We should use this election campaign to show that we make up the vast majority.

In the end, if Lukashenka does not resign voluntarily, we should peacefully take to the Square. The current alternative presidential candidates should stand next to the people. If we do this, both policemen and the military will join us. They should see their relatives and friends in the Square.

After all, we need to replace one person in the country and everything will be fine. Changes will begin for sure. Our children will live in a beautiful country, just like Belgium or France.

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