Anatol Lyabedzka: “It would be comfortable for me to get 15 days of arrest”

• 2.09.2008, 8:49

Leader of the United Civil Party spoke against boycotting of the “parliamentary election”, having offended many opposition activists who had gone through repressions and prisons in Belarus.

“I don’t support boycott. If we had carried out it from the very beginning, it would have been the shortest way to legitimisation of not so much the “election campaign” and the “house of representatives” as the regime. We can’t live in the past. Europe needs proofs that the regime is undemocratic today, not that it was undemocratic yesterday.

I think we should go on the “election campaign” as long as the circumstances and situation allow.

It would be comfortable for me to close this case, attend some demonstrations with a “For Boycott” poster, get 15 days of arrest and then present myself as a fighter for changes in Belarus,” UCP leader told in an interview to Radio Svaboda.

It should be reminded that on August 31, the Political Council of the opposition parties delayed the question of running or non-running of party candidates in the oncoming “parliamentary election”. It was decided to consider this issue on September 21. Candidates are to carry on the “election campaign” till that date.