News Release by the Belarusian Popular Front "Adradzennie" and the Party of BPF.
May 19, 2001

A session of the BPF Sojm [the party's national leadership council] took place on 19 May. This is the last session of the Sojm before the announcement of the date of the Presidential elections. The first item on the agenda was the future of the coalition of democratic forces (united in the Co-ordinating Council of the Democratic Forces, "KRDS"), and the relations between the KRDS and those standing for president.

The BPF is to chair the KRDS. The Sojm instructed the BPF leadership to ensure that, at the very next meeting of the KRDS session, the decision is taken to convene a Congress of Democratic Forces, or, if circumstances do not permit, that the KRDS itself should vote to decide on a joint presidential candidate. The BPF Sojm called on prospective presidential candidates to use this last chance and to decide amongst themselves who is fittest for the role. After signing the "agreement of the five," which contains certain dubious points such as the "union with Russia," the Sojm of the BPF "Adradzennie" proposed that the candidates - if they intend to present a real alternative to Lukashenka - must formulate clearly and in detail their attitude to the key issues of Belarusian life: the fate of the country's independence, relations with Russia and other states, proposals for the economic reform and of country's democratisation.

The Sojm issued a statement of protest regarding the forcible break-up of the [pro-democracy] demonstration on May 18.

"We planned this session of the Sojm as an extraordinary one' , said Vincuk Viacorka, the Chairman of the BPF "Adradzennie" and of the Party of BPF. 'We expected that during [Lukashenka's] 'All-Belarusian' congress [on 18 May], Lukashenka would announce the date of the elections and/or nominate himself as a prospective candidate. Neither of these events has yet taken place. This is evidence of extreme disorder, and loss of strength within the ruling clique, and (possibly) of the collapse of their hopes of Russian support, in the view of the fact that so much effort - in propaganda, finance, organisational terms - had been invested in preparing that showpiece. The fact that it [the "all-Belarusian congress"] achieved nothing, is certainly a blow for the regime of Lukashenka."

Appeal to the member–organisations of the Co-ordinating Council of Democratic Forces, and to prospective democratic presidential candidates.

Lukashenka's regime is disoriented. It has lost political initiative. The showpiece called the "all-Belarusian people's congress" has shamefully failed. The popularity of Lukashenka himself is rapidly falling. The chance for the victory for democracy is greater than ever in our country, and we have no right to waste it.

The only real democratic coalition which has been established and is now active in Belarus, is the Co-ordinating Council of Democratic Forces (KRDS). It cannot simply be replaced by a pact amongst the presidential contenders. At the same time, the BPF would welcome the following agreement amongst the contenders: a) to decide on single candidate from amongst themselves; b) not to fight for influence over existing structures, but to recruit new people to the campaign. The "Union of Belarus and Russia" - that phantom unrecognized in international law - should not be invoked as an argument the political struggle. One cannot expect support from political parties - and from the BPF most of all – if at the same time one signs statements that contradict the very sense of existence of those parties. We expect that the presidential candidates make public their concepts of Belarus's independent future, our language, culture, national symbols, of how they are propose to conduct relations with Russia and other neighbouring states, with the USA, the countries of Western Europe, of how they are propose to restore our country to a democratic order, and how to revive its economy.

We cannot leave the right to decide on our single candidate to the regime and Mrs Jarmosyna [the Head of the national Electoral Commission]. The candidate who will be supported by the country's democratic forces - the KRDS members - must be decided before the announcement of the elections and before [the process begins of ] collecting the citizens' signatures for the candidates' registration.

The Sojm declares that the BPF "Adradzennie" and all its local structures will collect signatures for one candidate only - the one chosen by the next Congress of Democratic Forces. The KRDS should fulfil its promise and make its decision on the joint candidate, before the election campaign is announced. As a matter of urgency, this can be done by a vote within the Council itself.

We appeal to the KRDS urgently to announce the date of the next Congress of Democratic Forces. We call on the prospective presidential contenders, proposed by the KRDS members, to use this last chance to suggest, themselves, a single presidential candidate from among their number.

Miensk, May 19, 2001.
Sojm of the BPF "Adradzennie"

The so called "all-Belarusian peoples' congress," organised by Lukashenka's regime according to typically Soviet traditions, was a shameful failure. Not a single political initiative was proposed. No answer was given on how to improve the catastrophic economic situation. As one might have expected, the anti-Belarusian policy of Lukashenka's leadership was once again confirmed. The regime had nothing to tell to the people. It is for this very reason that, in an evil burst of hysteria, it ordered the forcible dispersion of those protesting against this pseudo-democratic show and reminding the public about the political opponents of Lukashenka who have 'disappeared.' The BPF Sojm demands that criminal proceedings be opened against those guilty of the physical reprisals inflicted on the demonstrators on May 18, 2001.

Miensk, May 19, 2001.