Statkevich’s initiative has attracted regional party activists
Quoting formal grounds, the Belarusian authorities have refused to provide facilities to the organizers of the Belarusian National Congress to hold the event. The Congress initiators therefore have swiftly changed the format of the event and will hold an unauthorized street action instead, demanding government guarantees to ensure the right to peaceful assembly. According to one of the organizers, former presidential candidate Nikolai Statkevich, 500 delegates have been elected for the Congress. Most of the participants are likely to be party activists from the regions. The opposition parties were not excited about the Statkevich’s initiative and refused to participate in the Congress. However, they did not prohibit their regional activists to participate in the meetings with the Congress initiators. After the unauthorized event, political parties and ordinary party activists in the regions are likely to reduce their interest in the Congress.
Image: Charter-97
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Situation in Belarus