Former political prisoner explained how Lukashenka has once again beaten the opposition.
By its inability to unite, the Belarusian opposition “opened the way for Lukashenka to cooperate with the West”, said the ex-presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich to belapan.by on April 2 during a visit to Mahiliou.
“A big share of support, which used to be enjoyed by the democratic non-governmental sector, will be given to the so called state NGOs. And this is the reality,” said Statkevich. According to the politician, the authorities have created 2,400 non-governmental organizations, which took control of the “Western money.”
The politician believes that the West acts towards Belarus on the principle “quiet is good”: “No war is already good.” “And they do not accept the argument that this “quiet” will still lead to a dramatic finale, to which the country is heading, and they are at this time weakening the pro-European democratic forces,” he believes.
Statkevich has called the current “thaw” in the relations between the official Minsk and the European Union “a blow to the ideological foundation of democratic forces” from the West.
“We have relied and appealed to the ideals of freedom and democracy. Now the countries that embody the ideals of freedom and democracy, in the eyes of Belarusians suddenly go on contact with the man who fought against all this long and hard. In a democratic environment, it is perceived as a betrayal,” said Statkevich.
However, this situation, said Statkevich, also put the Belarusian authorities in the new conditions, which have forced security officials to switch from arrests to fines.
The politician is sure that the wave of penalties against anti-democratic community can only be stopped by the opposition leaders. Actions against them will have international resonance. “They can stop (fines – belsat.eu) only one way – not to pay,” said Statkevich.
