Ramanchuk: West not to finance these elections

ERB: You visited Germany, Austria and the USA in a week and a half – from September 8 until September 17. Where did you go, who did you meet and what did you talk about?

Yaraslau Ramanchuk: We made a very good trip to Berlin and met representatives of the executive power there, the chief of the chancellery Ms. Merkel who will probably attend the German-Minsk forum at the beginning of November. We discussed the situation in Belarus and the EU policy on the eve of the presidential elections in our country. We pronounced our recommendations about the things that had to be done to hasten the process of democratization in our country instead of impeding it. I made a great presentation of my programme and explained why we were going to take part in the elections and why our programme was interesting not only to politicians but also to businessmen and entrepreneurs. We met German business representatives. They were interested in trade, Customs Union and other issues.

Meetings in the United States were dedicated to other topics as we had been invited by an interstate organization “Democratic Community”.  We also discussed the state of democracy, whether the measures to speared democracy were effective. My task was to inform the audience about the human rights situation in Belarus, mass media problems and participation of political and civil organizations in the elections. I urged everyone to watch the events in our country more attentively. I invited them to become observers. I had a personal meeting with Congressman Christopher Smith, the author of “Democracy Act in Belarus”. Mr. Smith said that he would become an observer and be with us in the square on December 19 if he was given a visa. He will bring 10 congressmen with him and they will watch the poll.

It was my final work at a certain stage of my pre-election campaign. My position is: to spend 95% of time in Belarus and to dedicate 5% of my time to the necessary work abroad. Everyone is interested in new faces and new programmes in Belarus. They are interested in what I am doing, in my team and in the direction I am going to lead our country in.

ERB: You “gave advise about the way the European Union should behave” in Berlin. Does the EU listen to recommendations pronounced by representatives of democratic forces?
Yaraslau Ramanchuk: I think it does. However, it is important that democratic forces should be unanimous. Opinions used to differ but I think there will be fewer different points of view this time. The number of contenders is decreasing… On the whole, the attempt to talk to Lukashenka without democratic forces has failed. Germany is the leader of the European diplomacy and the dialogue should be conducted with German diplomats.

ERB: Trips of representatives of democratic forces to Europe are causing rumours that it was done to get money. Did you really go there to get money?

Yaraslau Ramanchuk: You should not listen to the lies of the Belarusian TV and governmental propaganda. The opposition never travels abroad to get money. The Belarusian opposition goes abroad to explain what problems we have and to express ideas about the way it can be helped. The financial issue is never discussed at this kind of meetings. Do you think congressmen allocate hundreds or millions of their own dollars? They don’t. The financing of the civil community and of various initiatives is minimal. The West is not a source of financing at these presidential elections. We never go abroad to get money.

ERB: You said that congressman Smith would join you in the square on December 19. Have you decided what “the square” will be?

Yaraslau Ramanchuk: The UCP has never been against “the square”. We have signed a strategy of the democratic community saying that it is necessary to gather in the square regardless of the results of the elections. We already say that we will gather at 8 p.m. on December 19 to celebrate the beginning of the new Belarus.