Today in the office of the Radio-electronic Industry's trade union was a press conference on the results of People's Assemblies held on October 8 in the country.
Answering journalists' questions on causes of the small number of first assemblies, Viktor Ivashkevich says that one of the most important is the passivity of many of Belarusian opposition forces.
According to the co-chairman of the Organizing Committee of People's Assembly Viktor Ivashkevich, despite the initiative was formally supported by all the Belarusian opposition, not really everybody helped the Assembly by deeds.
"Representatives of all civic parties and organizations participated in the preparation of the People's Assembly. But also representatives of all parties and organizations tried to withdraw from it. For example, the head of the organizing committee in Grodno said he did not know whether the Assembly was held. During the event he was at work, and other members of the committee went to observe the elections in Poland", said the co-chairman of the People's Assembly.
Ivashkevich reminded native politicians that it was needed to talk not only with European partners, but also with citizens of their country:
"Apparently, many of us think that by watching democracy in Europe and participating in international conferences one can do a lot for struggling against dictatorship. More than talking with own population, with ordinary people. I would like to remind you, at coffee-breaks of international seminars one cannot overthrow a dictatorship!".
The politician also says, that he hopes the inertia of the Belarusian opposition is compensated by new initiative people supporting the Assembly.
"More than half of those who help us in organizing the People's Assembly, have not been engaged in politics before. They are not members of some parties, organizations and institutions. They just feel that one cannot live like this anymore. We are very much counting on such people also in the future", Victor Ivashkevich shared his plans.
