Will Lyabedzka become alien to opposition?

“Opposition colleagues will not shake hands with Lyabedzka”, “The United Civil Party will not be accepted by any coalition”, “The idea of financial assistance audit will quarrel Belarusian democrats”… If MEPs decide to check how the European financial assistance is spent in Belarus, it will result in a collapse, analysts say. The idea was suggested by Anatol Lyabedzka.

 Lyabedzka is not afraid of the prospect.

Anatol Lyabedzka: “There are people who think that the international assistance to Belarus is transparent and promotes the democratization of Belarus. However, I do not think so. I do not think that we will lose anything in this situation (if colleagues stop communicating with Lyabedzka and the UCP – Euroradio): it will be time to leave the communal flat.”

Lyabedzka and the UCP may experience some tension in the relations with some structures, BPF Party leader Alyaksei Yanukevich thinks.

Alyaksei Yanukevich: “It may quarrel Anatol Lyabedzka and the UCP with civil organizations and other subjects. However, I do not think that it may cause tension in political parties and organizations.”

Leader of the party Fair World Syarhei Kalyakin has promised to shake Lyabedzka’s hand if the audit is conducted. He thinks that Europe should analyze how the money is spent and even name the people receiving this financial assistance.

Syarhei Kalyakin: “If we know who receives money for ecological programmes, we will be able to cooperate with them because we will know that they have the money for ecological plans. The same can be said about citizens’ rights…”

 Lyabedzka’s idea will not cause any chaos in the opposition, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu and Syarhei Kalyakin think. But they also confessed that there were some people in the opposition they would not shake hands with. And they don’t. But they did not name any names…

Syarhei Kalyakin: “I will not name any names but these people know about it. We do not need any publicity – it will not do any good. But there are such structures and people.”

“There are such structures and people but they are not the opposition. They look like the opposition,” Nyaklyeyeu added.

However, the issue will not be limited to talking only, Anatol Lyabedzka assured Euroradio and referred to... a discussion.

Anatol Lyabedzka: “The work group on Belarus has decided to organize a discussion (!) dedicated to the issue at the next meeting in Brussels. It will happen in autumn.”

Thus, people who receive European money and spend it on “vacuous” projects still have time. For a discussion.

Photo: Zmitser Lukashuk