Boycott to fake elections is a boycott to Lukashenka

The initiative group for the boycott campaign called Belarusians not to participate in the parliamentary elections in 2012. According to group members, only the usage of an active boycott can force authorities to release political prisoners and to inform citizens truthfully about events in the country.

After the notorious press conference on January 31, where the coalition of six democratic parties didn't manage to agree on a common format of participation in parliamentary elections, the opposition continues to seek ways to solve the situation and tries to consolidate.

On Thursday it was another press conference, where representatives of the initiative group - leader of the Radio-Electronic Industry Trade Union Gennady Fyadynich, head of the "Belarusian Movement" Viktor Ivashkevich, coordinator of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, one of the leaders of the Rada of Belarusian Intelligentsia Aleksey Marochkin and Mogilev coordinator of the "European Belarus" Viktar Boldin stated their position.

They said that taking part in elections is impossible, as long as there are political prisoners in the country and the electoral laws are not reformed. Therefore it's necessary to carry out an active boycott - the campaign among voters, which aims to inform people about the socio-economic problems of the country and to call not to participate in the voting during the parliamentary elections.

"No compromises with the regime are possible", the politician Viktor Ivashkevich said. "Therefore we consider the proposal of the movement "For Freedom" to participate in the elections and to withdraw democratic candidates a week before the early voting if political prisoners are not released, as wrong and provocative. It automatically gives Lukashenko a carte blanche to hold prisoners until September".
Ivashkevich also reminded, this proposal is contrary to previous statements of some participants of the "six":

"The question arises, when they told the truth: at that time or now, when they are going to participate in something, which in their opinion doesn't exist".

The distributed press conference statement also said:

"In the autumn Lukashenka and his henchmen through threatening try to drive us to new "elections" , where everything is predetermined. We know everything, that we have no real vote counting, and all is falsified. On elections, which don't exist, we will be called by secret henchmen of Lukashenko from "the opposition" and "independent candidates".

According to participants of the initiative group, the majority of simple party members and activists stand for a boycott, and options for participation in elections are considered only by "some leaders of the "six".

Thus, Mogilev coordinator of the "European Belarus" Viktor Boldin said: "Today, ordinary people are not interested in elections. The majority of party and public organizations' activists tend to a boycott. Confused, inconsistent position of the party leaders causes their misunderstanding and irritation".

According to the initiative group "For Boycott" they already have representatives in 15 cities of Belarus. The plan is to distribute campaign leaflets and to create a web site. The boycott campaign itself should be interpreted widely - as a boycott of the "regime":

"We don't want to waste time and start a campaign of active and widespread boycott already today, without waiting for Yarmoshyna permission", Victor Ivashkevich said.

The question remains, how members of the initiative group will act, if the coalition of six democratic parties or one of its members decide to attend the elections.

Apparently, before the end of the epopee "participation of the opposition in 2012 parliamentary elections" more than one press conference is needed.