“I enter village shops and talk to people”
Euroradio has wondered what candidates agitate for.
“Belaya Rus” has 70 candidates this year. Only one of them has been refused registration. It is pretty nice in comparison with the opposition – the number of rejected opposition candidates almost reaches 50%. Opposition candidates are not hoping to be elected in such conditions.
They are not eager to talk to journalists and their names are new to people. However, the civil association “Belaya Rus” assures that they are agitating for their candidates actively.
“Our members and district organizations are taking part in pickets. We are helping organize pickets, meetings and so on”.
But not all “governmental” candidates are from “Belaya Rus”. Head of Pruzhany District Executive Committee Alyaksandr Yurkevich says that he is a non-party man. “They suggested it and I agreed” – the candidate explains his motivation to run for MP this way.
The official has taken a leave from work to meet “working collectives”. The law allows it. Alyaksandr Yurkevich does not even need any election programme – people are telling him what they need themselves.
“I enter a village shop and start talking to people. And they discuss what they want. The initiative belongs to the people, not to candidates”.
The election budget will only cover the printing expenses for Yurkevich – leaflets and posters. He has to pay for fuel on his own.
But not all governmental candidates are so open. The head of Baranavichy District Executive Committee is inaccessible. His colleagues claim that he is on vacations abroad. The chief physician of Baranavichy Central Polyclinic says that he is too busy. The doctor’s election programme must be a secret.
