Dzmitry Dashkevich: Statkevich's nomination is clear strategy

• 10.02.2015, 11:22

In the case of non-registration of the political prisoner one should announce a boycott.

Dzmitry Dashkevich, the co-Chairman of the Young Front and former political prisoner, said in the interview to charter97.org commenting on the initiative to adopt Mikalai Statkevich as a single candidate in the presidential elections in 2015. The politician called it the most understandable and logical step for democratic forces of Belarus.

- For me it is absolutely clear that the requirement to release political prisoners should come first for the opposition, Dzmitry Dashkevich said. - Without its fulfilment it has no moral right to participate in any campaign, especially in presidential elections. The adoption of Nikolai Statkevich as a single candidate is the most acceptable, understandable, and logical strategy of all those possible. If someone claims it is unreal (some political experts have already mentioned it), I can say that it is possible as if any politician was adopted as a presidential candidate. Moreover, this strategy is better understood by society: one cannot conduct presidential elections when one of the candidates of the previous campaign is still behind bars.

I am sure that if democrats come to an accord among themselves at least on this issue and propose Statkevich as a single candidate, he will be released in the near future. It is already a more complex issue whether he will be registered as a candidate or not, because Aliaksandr Lukashenka knows that Statkevich is a strong opponent from a moral point of view. But authorities will have to release Mikalai Statkevich and other political prisoners.

If Statkevich is not registered, we should not participate in these elections. In case of political prisoners in Belarus the only way to participate in these elections is a boycott, absolutely clear response to the regime. Otherwise, the opposition finally will lose its authority in the Belarusian society, the leader of the Young front believes.

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