Yury Khashchavatski: Everyone must come to the square at least once

• 3.12.2010, 9:09

At least once a Belarusian must go to the square and do what he should do for one’s children and grandchildren.

In an interview to Deutsche Welle a Belarusian filmmaker Yury Khashchavatski gave evaluation to the televised addresses and speeches on the radio of the presidential candidates in Belarus and to their electoral programmes.

According to the well-known Belarusian director of documentary films, Yury Khashchavatski, the main task which had been completed by oppositional candidates in their addresses on radio and TV was to persuade their supporters to express their attitude to the results of the elections by gathering on the square after the voting. Khashchavatski believes that some contenders for the position of the president had used their time on air rather successfully.

- What possibilities the candidates for presidency had in their live broadcasts on TV and radio, and how successfully have they used them?

- They had little room to move. When a person is placed in front of a camera and he is to speak for 30 minutes in a live broadcast, I would like to look at the best talkers in such a situation. It is really difficult. Especially remembering that for the last 5 years no a single oppositionist had a chance to make speeches in such a format.

That is why I think that the authorities are wearing a double face when they speak about great possibilities. They have rather given the candidates a right to fail during these speeches. And whether the candidates have managed to avoid a failure is an interesting question.

- And who has met the challenge?

- I think that some have reached the desirable result. For instance, the leader of “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sannikov carried himself well. He had a superb text, and the words he had said to the people, were very exact.

The speech of “Tell the Truth!” campaign leader Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu was perfect. One of the leaders of Social-Democrats Mikalai Statkevich looked interesting and charismatic; in his speech anguish and anger over what the authorities are doing in Belarus were felt clearly.

But eh main thing the oppositional candidates managed to do was not to swallow the bait of the regime competing with each other and throwing mud at each other. Respect for each other is very important, it gives grounds to believe that these people would be able to formulate a unified position.

- Have the oppositional candidates been successful in gaining support of those who had not made their choice yet?

- The candidates were, primarily, to persuade their supporters to keep up their spirits and come to the square after the voting to express their attitude to the one more electoral fraud, which will take place, which is beyond question for me.

They were to be persuaded that everything depends on each of us, and that each of us must come to the square at least once in a lifetime and to do what one should do for one’s children and grandchildren. I do now know whether the candidates were successful in that. Let’s see on December 19.