Belarusians don’t believe in fair elections

• 25.02.2010, 17:11

Opposition activists admit they meet problems when collecting signatures because people fear to vote.

In the Hrodna region, initiative groups of opposition figures have no doubts they will be able to collect the necessary number of signatures. But voters are not very optimistic, Radio Svaboda informs.

Ivan Byadko, a representative of the BPF party in the Slonim district, is going to run in the elections for a seat in the district and regional councils. He says he could have gathered signatures even without an initiative group.

According to him, people willingly gave their signatures for opposition representatives, told about their problems, said they didn’t see the future for Belarus under that power.

However, Ivan Byadko worries about disappointment of people.

“People say these are not elections, I won’t be able to win. I tell them we need to try, but they don’t believe the elections will be carried out in line with the law.”

An initiative group of Mikalai Vlasevich, a member of the United Civil Party from the Astravets district, gathers signatures to nominate his as a candidate for a seat in the district and regional councils.

Vlasevich says it is easier to collect signatures in the Ashmyany district, because dwellers of the Astravets district are intimidated by local authorities.

“It’s very difficult to collect signatures,” the oppositionist says. “People fear, they fear to put their signatures for an opposition candidate. They say they have children, grandchildren. They are afraid of losing a job. The contract system is like a straitjacket.”