Why doesn’t Belarus have Ksyusha Sobchak and Leonid Parfyonov?
Euroradio invited three ex-candidates to its office to find out which methods of the Russian election campaign they would like to take over.
Leader of the campaign “Tell the Truth” Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu did no stay in Euroradio’s studio long: urgent issues made him shorten the visit. Speaking about Russian methods, the politician mentioned Zhirinovsky who had registered as an observer.
Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu: “Mr Zhirinovski used a good PR method. We would have registered too if the idea had come to my mind. However, it did not happen. Still, it’s a PR method that provides nothing. If the law does not function at all, what can it give? They may only say that Zhirinovski used a good method”.
The politician also mentioned Russian politicians and civil activists’ appeal – to become observers instead of voting for this or that candidate. Ex-candidate of the BPF Party Ryhor Kastusyou supported his colleague.
Ryhor Kastusyou: “The invitations could have been useful in Belarus too: “Observe the election!” They also managed to bring people to the streets. All the other things would not be good for Belarus”.
Ex-presidential candidate Yaraslau Ramanchuk impressed by Internet mobilization disagreed.
Yaraslau Ramanchuk: “The mobilization of the Internet community is a positive thing. The Internet community has become an active participant of the whole campaign that influenced the government. Russia does not ask what it should do about the Internet. ”
Ryhor Kastusyou supported his ex-colleague and claimed that Belarusian bloggers and activists of “the world wide web” had to take part in meetings instead of typing on a sofa. The same can be said about other “moral authorities” of various social groups, added Ramanchuk.
Yaraslau Ramanchuk: “The best experience Belarus can use is consolidation and stirring up of the intelligentsia, the people who have authority in certain social groups. Sobchak, Parfyonov and Akunin are using methods that differ from Nemtsov and Yashyn’s. This is the best experience – such people are needed to help us start the civil dialogue that is being conducted in Russia”.
However, the question why we do not have our own “Ksyushas” was not answered.
Interestingly, Euroradio’s interlocutors were sure that Russians used the best experience of… their Belarusian colleagues from the democratic camp! Meetings with “a precise schedule” and the necessity of conducting a dialogue about joint mass actions are elements of this experience.
We have to wait to see whether Belarusian democrats are able to make use of their own ideas tested at the Russian election. Will they be successful at the parliamentary election?
Photo by: Ales Piletski and Zmitser Lukashuk
