Pavel Latushka, deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, ambassador
This week the no-choice elections are held in Belarus. Exactly with the prefix “no”, because it is impossible to call what Lukashenko's regime is holding “elections”. Neither from the political, nor from the legal point of view
Today in Belarus there are no basic conditions for holding any electoral campaigns that can be recognised as such.
There are no legitimate, lawful bodies of power that have the right to conduct such campaigns. In principle, the country is immersed in a total legal default, so deep that it is not even a question of the lack of possibility to realize the electoral rights of citizens - the Lukashenko regime does not guarantee even the most basic human rights and freedoms. On the contrary, they are permanently threatened. Including the right to life. Even this right is no longer guaranteed in the state seized by the Lukashenko regime - and to no one.
No one will count your votes. It doesn't make sense. After all, all the “candidates” for “deputies” have undergone the most careful selection and were agreed upon in advance. The competition is 2-2.5 people per seat. The regime did not even try to imitate any competition. Why should it? The threshold turnout has been canceled. That is, it does not matter at all who will come and whether they will come to the polling stations at all - the no-choice elections will still be held. And the pre-appointed “deputies” will sit in their seats.
So let's call things by their proper names - it's a “single appointment day”. And the regime doesn't even need to falsify anything this time.
But it will do it anyway. Because it needs the ritual. And despite the cancellation of the threshold turnout - it will draw it. Forcing people to participate in early voting. It’s driving people to the polls. For a picture. For its own ego. To imitate its own importance and significance.
So what should we, Belarusians, do this week?
The main thing is not to let ourselves be poisoned by all these lies. Not to let ourselves and our relatives be convinced that this ritual of the regime and the picture it will show us have anything to do with reality, with elections, with democracy.
Talk to your family and close ones. Talk to your friends. Do not live this absurdity alone. The regime will do everything to make supporters of change believe that the majority has become a minority. That everyone around them has "turned the page." It hasn't. And you can easily be convinced of this if you don't clam up.
And most importantly, whatever you do - take care of yourself. You should not expose yourself to unnecessary, needless risks. The position of the National Anti-Crisis Management is to avoid participation in the imitation of elections, and not go to the polling stations, especially against the background of the threat of provocations, which is constantly being transmitted by the regime. If you are forced to participate in early voting, make a decision according to the situation. Your safety is the most important thing.
These are not elections and they will not be recognised in the civilized world, as well as their results. Neither we, Belarusians, nor our partners will turn the page in our relations with the Lukashenko regime. The page will be turned only together with it.
Zhyve Belarus!
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