Discord threatens independence

Mikola Statkevich published his vision of the immediate tasks for democratic forces.

Last December, a group of prominent representatives of Belarusian intelligentsia and civil society appealed to the leaders of democratic organizations calling for the consolidation and development of a common strategy at the Congress of Democratic Forces.

Some of the addressees responded to the appeal and became part of the organizing committee of the congress. Some took the time to think. Now there are consultations between these parts. Yesterday, one of the politicians finally announced the reason for his long hesitation: “… even among the initiators of the Congress there is no common vision of the united strategy”. As if he did not realize that the development of such a strategy is the task of the congress, that will be solved in the course of its preparation and conduct. Moreover, this politician meant under the united strategy only parliamentary “elections”.

Indeed, the situation is paradoxical: 6 competing opposition lists are ready to be declared to non-existent elections. Parliamentary “elections” are now carried out in one round. A relative majority is sufficient. When there are more than 5 candidates per district, it is enough to get 25-30% to be a winner. And with such opposition, the authorities can safely agree to openly count ballots.

But it is not the next “elections” that is the main problem for the Belarusian democratic forces in the current situation. During this endless hopeless “elections” circle, certain opposition leaders do not see or do not want to see the dramatic changes that have taken place in Belarus and around it. They did not notice the beginning of the last agony of political and economic model of the Belarusian regime.

Our country is on the verge of dramatic changes. The most dangerous thing is that these changes can be inspired from the outside and directed at the elimination of our statehood. Analyzing the feasibility of intervention, the forces hostile to our independence take into account the scenario if the initiative was overtaken by independent democratic forces.

Thus, the presence in Belarus of consolidated pro-European opposition, that is able to take on the presentation of social protest that is growing in our eyes, can prevent the threat to our statehood. The lack of such opposition creates a temptation for a potential aggressor. Moreover, for a significant part of the Belarusian society, a potential leader of the protest can be the imposed by the Russian TV Uladzimir Putin.

Those who hinder the consolidation of democratic forces take on a heavy responsibility. However, regardless of their efforts, the congress will be held and the result will be the consolidation of the democratic forces, if not all, then of their most responsible and viable members.

Mikalai Statkevich Facebook page