‘Lukashenka Won't Be Able To Turn Page’

Thoughts of Belarusians about the situation inside the country.

Belarusians intend to boycott the ‘elections,’ which will be held in January next year. They told ‘Salidarnasts’ about it.

All names of the interlocutors have been changed.

Stsiapan, 43 years old. ‘Everyone understands that these are elections without any choice’.

- Recently, banners and posters advertising ‘elections’ have been stretched in Brest. But I can't say there are many of them. Friends tell me that in Minsk, both in the rain and in the cold, they are collecting signatures for Lukashenka.

Everyone understands that these are elections without a choice. Personally, I'm not going to vote. There will be only a mark that I have attended them, but the result is already obvious. So why should I take part in this and waste my time?

The interlocutor notes that people in his environment discuss politics only with trusted or close people:

- Everyone tries to avoid it because they don't know how it will turn out. A new colleague has recently joined us, and at first we didn't discuss anything like that with him either.

As for the latest news, Stsiapan notes that he was outraged by Lukashenka's proposal to appoint heads of private companies by the district executive committee.

- I have read an opinion that perhaps this is how they want to employ former law enforcers. They retire at the age of 45. I know that even those who left before 2020 could not find a new job. So it's a very logical opinion.

What are people's concerns right now? The man names several topics. Firstly, there are difficulties in getting a visa in Brest (and many Brest residents have children living in Poland). Secondly, wages, the rise of the dollar and prices in shops.

- Potatoes cost 2 roubles, and they are almost all rotten. And it is so in most of the shops. That's horrible. Otherwise, there is plenty of everything on the shelves.

But in other areas the sanctions are noticeable. For example, we need some American spare parts for work. They are not available in Belarus. But they have them in Russia. Although it would seem that there are sanctions there too.

Artsiom, 24 years old. ‘Everyone understands: Lukashenka can do nothing to turn the page’.

- No one I talk to has any doubts who will ‘win’ the ‘election’. But people have a question - why so brazenly?

In many state structures, they force people to sign in favour of Lukashenka, it hurts many people, and the topic of politics is actively raised in conversations.

Artsiom himself also works at a state enterprise. He says that the personnel department used to collect signatures for nomination as a candidate, and nobody forced to put signatures. But now the management is in charge of it, and if someone doesn't want to put his signature, he can be shouted at or threatened with dismissal.

The guy is not going to vote on January 26.

- I don't want to go, it's just a profanation. But I don't know what to expect. I won't be surprised if they take us by the hand to the early voting, - says the interlocutor of Salidarnasts. - However, even despite the coercion, everyone understands that Lukashenka can't do anything to turn the page. Even his supporters have realised that it will not be possible to live as they used to - the times are different.

At the same time, I would note that now most people in Belarus are thinking not about the fact that Lukashenka will ‘win’ but about deteriorating economic condition of the country.

Anhelina, 24. ‘The people united in 2020, but now everyone is silent and afraid’

- I don't feel any special ‘pre-election’ atmosphere in Minsk.

Advertisements for the ‘elections’ are being broadcast, and signatures for candidates are being collected in grocery shops.

I don't have any expectations from these elections either. I realise that it's just a formality and falsity - everything will remain as before. I don't even see the point of participating in them. Although, frankly speaking, I am afraid that because of this there may be questions to me. I even think to take a sick leave for this period.

The girl also notes that she does not discuss politics with her entourage:

- I recently thought: how united the people were in 2020, and now everyone is silent, afraid to say anything.

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