United Pro-Democracy Forces in row with European Coalition over nomination lists
Syarhei Kalyakin, the chairman of the presidium of the United Pro-Democracy Forces (UDF), has accused members of the European Coalition of creating fake candidate nomination lists. In his turn, European Coalition leader Mikalai Statkevich insists that his supporters are decent people and have accused the former members of Five Plus of betraying the European values.
Talking to reporters in Minsk on the results of the registration of candidate nomination groups, Syarhei Kalyakin, the leader of the Belarusian Party of Communists and the current chair of the presidium of the United Pro-Democracy Forces, poured criticism on the representatives of another pro-democracy list of candidates: European Coalition.
Kalyakin maintains UDF nominees were selected to the European Coalition list, allegedly through lies.
“The people who were nominated for the European Coalition have learned about it from the media. They were selected simply because they were called and asked if they shared the European choice. A representative from the Popular Front, for instance, would answer: “Yes, I do share”. So he was automatically selected for the lists of the European Coalition. I think these are two different things: to support European values and be on the other list of candidates”, Kalyakin said.
The leader of communists and the chairman of the United Pro-Democracy Forces also stressed that the second, the third or the fifth lists of candidates would do nothing good to the process of democratization and a greater influence of those who support changes.
Kalyakin was backed by Anatol Lyaukovich, a co-chairman of the United Pro-Democracy Forces, who maintains those who were unable to appear on the UDF lists entered the European Coalition.
“When talking about a single UDF list, it has been set up for over one year. There were competition and clear procedures. It would not be right to talk about any other list, because no alternative lists were actually created. What is happening in the press right now, it is just an attempt to make PR on those who did not enter the UDF lists”, says Anatol Lyaukovich.
He also accused the leaders of the European Coalition of describing themselves as independent pro-democracy candidates.
Kalyakin also offered sharp comments on the fact that Mikola Statkevich, the chairman of the European Coalition, runs in the same constituency with other six competitors of a communist candidate. Kalyakin expressed a view that Statkevich was either an agent or a fool, because he had no chances to become a member of parliament.In return, Mikola Statkevich accuses opposition communists of having forgotten their agreement in 2004 about supporting European values. In the view of the politician, they would not campaign for a European platform, thus violating their deal.
“They do not the European platform and will not campaign for it. That’s why I have to close this gap”, Statkevich explains.
In his view, candidates from the Party of the Belarusian Popular Front would possible campaign for European values. But he has no hopes for communists.
“My reputation is very dear to me. We act in a decent way”, Statkevich responded to the accusations of UDF leaders.
Photo: Nasha Niva
