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Citizen of Belarus Lukashenka wants to use a "referendum" to find legitimacy


Vladzimir Astapenka
Vladzimir Astapenka Source: nn.by

Citizen of Belarus Lukashenka wants to use the "referendum" to find legitimacy for himself. But we won’t let him do that with our actions


Indeed, the dictator will try to show a pretty picture both inside and outside the country. The quiet "referendum" without our active actions will be presented as a demonstration of citizens' trust, as a sign of our agreement with the fact that Lukashenka is able to lead the country out of the crisis. But the Belarusans already know that this is not so.


And not only Belarusians: the Head of the German Foreign Ministry, Heiko Maas, has already called the constitutional reform proposed by Alexander Lukashenko "a farce". Vladzimir Astapenka, responsible for multilateral diplomacy at the NAM, explains why the regime will not be able to mislead anyone.


— The intention to hold a "referendum" is yet another attempt of the regime to build a false facade of supposedly legitimate power, which will cover up systematic and massive human rights violations and unprecedented violence against the Belarusian people.


World democratic standards, including those accepted in the Council of Europe, state that direct democracy is possible and effective only when the preconditions for the free expression of the will of citizens are created. Obviously, when in a country there is "no time for laws", we cannot speak about the existence of conditions for a meaningful and honest referendum.


I am convinced that any attempt by the regime to "construct" a semblance of legitimacy must be fiercely repulsed. To invalidate the ballot is a legal opportunity to show the system and the whole world that the Belarusians do not trust the regime, which illegally keeps the power in the country, and they demand new and fair elections," - says Vladzimir Astapenka.


How not to let the illegitimate government deceive everyone:

  1. Go to the polling stations.

  2. Put crosses in front of all the options on the ballot and take a photo.

  3. Put the ballot in the ballot box and send the photo to the "Voice" platform.

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