Ramanchuk: West not to finance these elections
A presidential contender Yaraslau Ramanchuk has told ERB about his trips abroad and about the recommendations he gave to Chancellor Merkel, why American congres
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.