Advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Constitutional Reform, Anatoli Liabedzka, explained in an interview with Navy Chas why the regime is rushing to conduct the “special operation” called a “presidential election”. He also spoke on how the democratic forces view this “campaign”.
📌 “The authorities tend to hold major events like elections in winter when people are more tied to their homes and workplaces. It’s easier to control them then”.
📌 “Whether it’s February 23 or April 1 – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that both the candidates and the outcome are predetermined”.
📌 “There are three groups of people. The first refuses to participate in the campaign because of election fraud. The second supports active actions. The third group includes people who might want to abstain but are dependent on the government through work or dormitories. All these people support free elections because they took to the streets in 2020. This is why we should prioritize fair elections. We need to work with both our supporters and those who are unsure”.
📌 “Politicians representing different groups need to agree not to engage in confrontation. If we waste time criticizing each other’s positions, we’ll lose the chance to engage with the broader society, including those who are hesitant. We won’t be able to explain that free and fair elections are not just about the right to vote but also about the economy, welfare, and salaries…”
📌 “There will be a battle inside the country. Lukashenka will try hard to create the impression that what happened in 2020 was something debatable but five years have passed, the page is turned, and people have supposedly come to their senses and, like sheep with their heads down, have returned to the shepherd”.
📌 “We need to find a compromise to offer something to Belarusians within Belarus. It must first and foremost be safe for people, and we must prioritize struggling for a free election rather than convincing each other of who’s right or wrong”.
