Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has increased political pressure on their candidates. The candidate Svetlana Tikhanovski reported that unknown persons threatened her and her children, if she’s not out of the race. Her husband is in jail. Another candidate, Victor Babariko, lost friend of the family that was sent to the KGB detention center, and in the “Belgazprombank”, which he previously headed, have entered external administration under the pretext of evasion of the enterprises from taxes and money laundering.
What makes Lukashenko to act so aggressive,we told the other candidate in presidents of Belarus Andrey Dmitriev.
– the Authorities behave at times tougher than before, but not against opposition presidential candidates, and in relation to all companies. Over the past two weeks people are highly politicized. They want to change the country’s leadership, therefore, are lining up to hand over the signatures for opposition candidates. Voters tired of the current life and want change, including, they want the elections were elections, and not reassigned.
Some experts say that rampant in society opposing views actually visibility, just the opposition is more active than before…
Well, no, the former head of “Belgazprombank” is not the “former opposition”. Today we see the result of the joint work of the opposition and civil society over the last 5 years. All this time, including the movement “Tell the truth!” urged the people to actively influence decisions to participate in public life.
In this election, we saw a very serious development of alternative media, including telegram channels. Coronavirus has played a big role in this. First, he forced people to engage in self-organization, to disseminate information, to establish mutual support. And when the elections came, these sites began to discuss the possible re-election of Lukashenko.
– do you Personally feel on itself the increased pressure?
– Such a strong pressure on the team Tikhanovski and Babariko, we do not. But near our pickets there is always the so-called “observer” – people with cameras. In some cities behind them wherever you car surveillance. When we talk on the phone, we understand that we are always third person listening in….
I Think closer to 9 August, the day of voting, the stronger the pressure on the opposition candidates. Thus Lukashenko is trying to throw the politicization of society, to prove that he’s still able to compete with them is pointless and even dangerous. But he is not very good at it.
After every performance people were politicized more and more. Lukashenka attracted attention�� of the Belarusian presidential elections. People learn about the inequities of the presidential candidates and come to support them with their signatures. In particular, June 16, I managed to collect 100 thousand signatures.
– think, Babariko and Tikhanovski will withdraw from the election?
– Perhaps the government itself had not yet taken a decision. On the one hand, you can reject candidates for registration, but to face an incredible wave of discontent in society. On the other hand, you can bring them to the day of voting, but then how to draw a 1.5% of the opposition?
I believe that it is necessary to register everyone who collected 100 thousand signatures in his support, and then the Belarusians will choose who will run the country further. Those who today give their signatures for the opposition, want it, and the Maidan, which scares people Lukashenko.
– People who support opposition candidates, they’re just doing it because of their dislike of Lukashenko, not because they like their program?
– first, people support, because they want change, which guarantees them the change of government. Secondly, according to the Belarusian law, candidates are forbidden to talk about their program before they register. You can only talk about his biography. However, all presidential candidates advocate the return to the Constitution limiting the number of presidential terms for one person.
– And economic reforms, too, all see the same?
– No, here the approaches differ. For example, I am in favour of real social protection of the people, and Babariko in favour of total privatisation and tough market. We have a different vision of the future of the country. But now the voters is not important, but the availability of alternatives to the current government.
– you Can compare the current situation with the elections in 2010? What they have in common?
the Total is in the increased politicization. But look at the differences more interesting. In 2010, all opposition candidates spoke about the area, and the government, on the contrary, dissuaded people. Now the situation has changed. The opposition supports the normal election with the change of government, and Lukashenko, on the contrary, remembered the Maidan.
in addition, today and 10 years ago, the economic situation is very different. If there was economic growth, the past few years, our situation has steadily worsened. During the collection of signatures in the regions to me are the people who tell us what their salary is about 500 Belarusian rubles – less than $ 250. The money can pay for communal and buy inexpensive products. Anything to postpone this amount is impossible.
the population survives on remittances from abroad, which carry their relatives are migrant workers, either through a utility SPSPC. If earlier the garden was for the people entertainment, now people really think, how they will be able to collect tomatoes and cucumbers from his site. Belarusians do not deserve such a life and such an attitude.
nevertheless, Lukashenko is going to crush the opposition?
on the one hand, and on the other, it expects the West’s economic assistance in the amount of 2.5 billion dollars. Any significant political repression can put an end to this money. This means a huge economic difficulties for the country, because the start of payments for the construction of the Belarusian NPP, it is necessary to extinguish the old debt, the economy becomes less and less effective.
that is Why Lukashenka has two tasks: to stay in power, but not to put a cross on the Western vector. Otherwise, he will have to go to Moscow and beg them to sign “31-th road map” (according to Belarusian authorities, it involves the partial or complete loss of sovereignty of the Republic MK).
– Very often you can hear that Lukashenka only 3% of trust among Belarusians. But similar surveys carried out opposition media. In your opinion, what in reality the balance of power?
– no One knows. We have before us an example of when the authorities solved one problem, but shot itself in the foot and thereby created another problem. At the time, defeated the Belarusian Independent Institute of socio-economic and political studies, so that no one saw the falling ratings of the President and the growing popularity of the opposition politicians. But now it is clear that the authorities would be beneficial to have at least one independent Agency, which could show Lukashenko’s rating is above 3%.
Obviously, he had not so small, but the incumbent President lost the information war. There are public sociologists, but they, for obvious reasons, can’t draw Lukashenko less than 80% support, and no one believes it. This opens up a huge space for manipulation of public opinion.
