Aliaksandr Milinkevich: We don’t participate in farce. We must have dignity

Lukashenka doesn’t know what to do with the country. Meantime, Belarus expects a new perestroika.

The leader of For Freedom movement spoke to Belsat TV about the “election campaign” and prospects for changes.
- How do you assess the current election campaign?
- We haven’t had real elections in the country for 20 years, and we know why. I won’t recognize the election until we count votes together. We haven’t been included in election commissions, so it wouldn’t hard to recognize the election. This year’s campaign is especially sad. It’s neither fish nor fowl. The authorities, society and opposition regard it in this way.
- What is the difference between candidates in this year’s campaign and previous campaigns?
- Much depends on Lukashenka. The future of the country depends on him. None of candidates have said yet (they weren’t given this opportunity, for example, on television) what programme he or she has, how the country will develop, what changes will come. Lukashenka is satisfied that the system is under his full control. Does it give prospects for him? He doesn’t know what to do with the country. He doesn’t have the answer, so he won’t take part in debates. He will be elected because there are no other candidates. But this is not the answer to questions in the political struggle during the presidential election. He understands the economy has huge problems. He doesn’t know how to solve them, because the political and social field has been burnt out. What should we do? He doesn’t know the answer.
- How will you vote?
- I’d like to say that For Freedom movement took a decision and I have the same decision: we ignore the election. We don’t want to take part in this farce. I think this is the right decision. We just must have dignity! Frankly speaking, I’d rather not comment on some persons who say something. It’s not interesting. They will be forgotten the next day after the election. This is not politics, and they are not politicians. This is a show. Previous elections were an imitation, but this time we have a farce. This is the most awful thing that happens to us. I think this “freezing” will backfire in the near future. I don’t want to scare anyone, I just want people to feel: they need to take responsibility and change many things. How will it happen? It would be better if it happened through evolution rather than revolution. Are the authorities able to do it? I don’t know the answer. I’d like them to begin, but the system must be changed.
I am not against the idea to have a pro-opposition minority in the parliament with the consent of the authorities, but it should win real elections, really collect signatures and really gathered votes. In this case it could speak whatever it wants instead of what it is expected to speak. This is the danger and legitimization of the authorities, and it doesn’t matter whether we participate in elections or not.
- What can we expect from October 11?
- We should always think what will happen the day after the election. Opposition should think if the situation will improve, if society will become more active and brave or, on the contrary, it will become more depressed. The authorities also should think about it. The worst thing is if we don’t have answers to these questions the next day after the election. This is the problem.
I think that if we can’t control street protests, if we are not able to guarantee the absence of provocations (we met provocations in, for example, 2010), we shouldn’t call on people to take to streets. It is important not to only to call people (I call them in 2006), but also to prevent provocations. If you can’t do it and provocations can be used against the country, you’d better not call on people to take to streets. You must be responsible for people and future of the country.
- Is there the leader in Belarus?
- I think our future depends not on the leader, a knight in shining armour who will lead us. It depends on the state of society. Our society today more experienced and cleverer and it doesn’t want to return to the Soviet Union. It was time when 50% wanted to Europe. And this is wonderful. I think it is important to work with people. These are old words. Some say, ‘You talk a lot but you haven’t done a lot.’ Our society can gain confidence, compare our life and our work with those in neighbouring countries. But in this case society will need serious, consolidated and responsible opposition. In this case we will have a chance. It cannot be so that opposition politicians say something and people follow them. All changes begin in society. The process is under way, but it is slow. It is important not to allow changes amid big economic crises, because populists can win. We need to work with society, give it more information and more confidence. People should know better how changes in neighbouring countries took place. I think we will have another perestroika, in the good sense of the word. The perestroika that has effect and makes us believe that we are not worse than the others, that we are Europeans.

Kilde: http://charter97.org/en/news/2015/9/18/169508/