MINSK - The Coordinative Council for People's Assemblies has launched a campaign to boycott Belarus' parliamentary election, one of the council's members, opposition politician Viktor Ivashkevich has told Interfax.
"At present, people are unable to express their distrust of the government in the form of public actions, for example a rally, due to activists’ arrests and due to organizational and ideological pressure from the authorities," he said.
"Belarus has no clearly marked party of power like Russia has, so that people could vent their mistrust by voting against this party’s candidates and by supporting other candidates. Although, all the candidates for parliament actually represent the party of power, it is not written on their faces," the politician said.
He added that "the only way to express mistrust is to boycott the election".
The plenipotentiary representatives of 14 cities voted to launch the boycott campaign during the council’s session a few days ago. They discussed the situation in the country and mapped out an action plan for 2012.
The boycott includes publications in independent media and on social networks, calling for economic and political changes as well as leaflet propaganda and participation in election monitoring.
It’s easier to monitor the turnout than ballot stuffing, Ivashkevich said. "In our opinion, people who have not come have voted against," he explained.
It was also decided to organize mass actions ahead of the voting day.
"No exact date has bee set yet. Last year few people came, but everything will depend on the situation this year," Ivashkevich said.
The parliamentary election is due to be held no later than September 2012.
