Will opposition manage to select single candidate? (photo)
By the way, only Mikalai Statkevich doubted it at the joint picket. Democratic presidential contenders have gathered and conducted a joint mega picket in the centre of Minsk today. Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu was the first to arrive followed by Vital Rymasheuski, Ryhor Kastusyou and Mikalai Statkevich. Andrei Sannikau was the last to arrive. The first leader of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich also came to support the contenders. ERB wondered what the aim of the joint picket was.
Shushkevіch: I’d like to avoid unnecessary quarrels among democratic candidates. I respect Sannikau, Nyaklyayeu, a lot of good things can be said about the other candidates too. You should not say anything bad, you need to say what is good. And there are a lot of good things about these people.
Rymasheuskі: Presidential contenders should not get involved in the performance Lukashenka is playing for them. The performance is called “Playing democratic elections”. They have to be realistic, united and to get ready to go to the square on November 24 and December 19.
Nyaklyayeu: You all saw what happened at pickets – where the tables of Sannikau and Nyaklyayeu and other candidates were installed and where Lukashenka’s tables were. Nobody approached them. That’s the real picture. The things he did for the whole state when he worked together with Sheiman mean you have to save yourself. His gesture informed that everything was not as good as our dear Alyaksandr Ryhoravich tried to depict it.
Summing it up, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu noted that the consolidation could already be seen because everyone they had agreed with came to the picket.
Nyaklyayeu: All those we agreed with are present at our today’s picket. Only Ramanchuk has not arrived, he has just phoned and said he needs to leave now.
Signatures for Rymasheuski being collected
Nyaklyayeu: We wanted to demonstrate that there are no people who would not like to finish the elections with the best result. The best variant is a single candidate. It does not mean that the opposition has united, but it is a prerequisite for taking necessary decisions at the necessary time.
Sannikau: There will be consolidation and we will discuss it with the real candidates, with those who have collected signatures and are working to make something happen here. I am working to win. The changes are increasing now. Do you see the support? It testifies to the fact that people support new Belarus rather than Lukashenka and dictatorship.
Kastusyou: I am an adherent of the idea of selection of a single candidate. We have agreed to meet and discuss joint actions. We will meet after we present collected signatures and I think we will reach some positive agreement. There is aspiration for unity. I do not want to predict what will happen as a result of it.
Statkevich: Unfortunately, the cooperation had to be established earlier. Now Lukashenka is going to select his rivals out of the numerous contenders and it is a shame. When he chooses and registers them – unfortunately, I think the integration of the campaign and selection of a single candidate will be unlikely to happen.
Nyaklyayeu: You all saw what happened at pickets – where the tables of Sannikau and Nyaklyayeu and other candidates were installed and where Lukashenka’s tables were. Nobody approached them. That’s the real picture. The things he did for the whole state when he worked together with Sheiman mean you have to save yourself. His gesture informed that everything was not as good as our dear Alyaksandr Ryhoravich tried to depict it.
Nyaklyayeu: All those we agreed with are present at our today’s picket. Only Ramanchuk has not arrived, he has just phoned and said he needs to leave now.
Някляеў павітаўся з усімі сябрамі ініцыятыўнай групы.
Latest information about votes for Nyaklyayeu in Minsk
People giving signatures in support of candidates till the last moment.
Sannikau and Rymasheuski’s pickets close to each other
Nyaklyayeu autographing
Signature collectors arrive to joint picket from Mahileu. They collected 20 thousand signatures for Nyaklyayeu there.
