Paval Sevyarynets: “Belarus’s way to Europe will resemble yesterday’s action”
On Monday, the leaders of the opposition attempted to do what they failed to achieve during the European March. Viktar Ivaskevich, the deputy chairman of the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, told reporters that the action displayed the opposition’s ability to work together.
Former presidential contender Alexander Milinkevich did not see Malady Front members as provocateurs any more. The Russian daily Kommersant quoted Milinkevich as allegedly saying that a group of Malady Front activists which disrupted the traffic on the main thoroughfare were provocateurs. The newspaper also wrote that Milinkevich was allegedly telling the police to treat those activists as provocateurs.
Talking to the European Radio for Belarus, Milinkevich said that he never used the word “provocateurs”.
“No, they are not provocateurs. They are those who did not obey the common decision. It is better when everyone follows a common scenario. But this is a democracy within democracy. That’s why, there were unfortunately different views regarding the format of the march. You can’t just line everyone up as soldiers, because they are not soldiers. One can only talk and reach certain agreements,” Milinkevich said.
Ahead of the European march, nobody tried to reach an agreement with the youth, according to Paval Sevyarynets, the former leader of the Malady Front youth pressure group. He says that this country’s way to Europe will resemble yesterday’s action.
“I have an impression that our way to Europe will be as follows: few will understand, but we will definitely make our way to Europe. In Belarus, this happens somewhat surrealistic”.
Political commentator Uladzimir Matskevich described the European March as an action without ideas. This causes problems.
“From the very beginning, this action had no grounds to become a serious political event. There was a certain excitement that this was a significant event. But this was an action for the youth so that the youth could express themselves. This march was artificially invented by the opposition. Nobody could understand what it was needed for. Of course, we need to do something. Therefore, we do what we can: walking on the streets but-and-ben”.
Alexander Milinkevich is confident that the future actions should be peaceful but more attractive.
“I am for peaceful actions, because they attract new people. If we behave radically, we will narrow ourselves down to a group of radicals. But scenarios of the future actions should be more interesting, more spectacular. We should not always march in the same way and listen to the speeches of the same people. We will have to work on new scenarios. Creative people should be invited to develop those scenarios. We should invite PR professionals that do not deal with politics. This is what we are lacking”.
Paval Sevyarynets insists that the youth expects dynamics from the opposition leaders.
“They need to take into account that everything should happen faster. The youth doesn’t want to wait. They are tired psychologically. People shouldn’t exchange accusations of provocation or insulting statements. The elders should negotiate with the youth. If things remain as they are, the split that could be observed in 1990s, will continue. This is very dangerous”.
Uladzimir Matskevich is convinced that the street actions should be given to the youth. A serious opposition should think about the strategic position, in the view of the political commentator.
“The opposition must deal with strategic decisions about what is happening in the country, rather than argue about how to divide their posts. Belarus has undergone a long phase of “cubanization”. The regime is strong as it has no serious rivals inside the country. The opposition has to realize its position. The opposition needs to change from the street-type opposition into something more serious. But the youth can deal with street actions”.
On Sunday, the opposition was surprised with the unusually peaceful behavior of security forces. However, Milinkevich doesn’t believe that the authorities have won this game. He says it is a draw.
“I don’t think that it was a competition. Simply, the authorities behaved in an intelligent way. We didn’t try to be aggressive. This did only good. We carried out our action the way we wanted it. The government has a chance to engage in a dialogue with Europe”.
The European March organizers on Monday gave a press conference on the results of the action. Alexander Milinkevich did not attend. Youth activist came to the press conference in order to present the grown-up politicians with buckets and shovels so that they can collect dog excrements on Bangalore Square, a remote park where people walk their dogs and where the government authorizes opposition rallies.
Photo: photo.bymedia.net
