European March Summed Up

15.10.2007. Tags: actions, European March.
Source: Nasha Niva.

European March Summed Up

Monday morning the organizers of the European March summed up the results of the yesterday’s action. Head of the organizing committee Viktar Ivashkevich pointed out, the action had shown both the achievements and the shortcomings of the opposition.

“First of all, the European March demonstrated that the opposition is able to work together, in a consolidated way, the fact that some people challenged after the Congress. We saw support of practically all European countries, and the United States. I think this support forced the authorities to let the people walk peacefully from Kastrychnitskaya Square to Bangalore Square. In our estimates, about 5-7 thousand people took part in the action”, -- Ivashkevich said.

Head of BPF Party Vincuk Viachorka believes the European March showed that the mobilization resources of the opposition forces are not bad.

“Many people came to the action, despite the campaign of intimidation and disinformation. Even on the day of the march people received text messages as if from Ivashkevich. Among the negative sides I would point out the presence of several columns. In general, the European March is a Holiday of Disobedience, which makes people feel at ease in front of the next year, which will become the year of economic crisis and the struggle for independence”. – Viachorka believes.

“The European March is over, but we are still left with the problems of European-style renovation of our common house. About seven thousand people came to the action. Unfortunately, they are not engaged into regular work of t eh opposition forces. Few of them would distribute flyers. It is our big challenge, how to mobilize these people. If we do a good job with it, the next actions would gather even more people”, -- UCP leader Anatol Liabedzka said.

As for the international support, only the leader of the Russion Union of Right Forces Nikita Belykh was able to join the protesters. Anatoly Liabedzka said, Estonian MPs had problems with receiving Belarusian visas.

In the end of the news conference Viktar Ivashkevich said: “The European March, as an action, is over. But it continues as a campaign. Please come to the offices of the political parties in opposition, take flyers and information materials and give it to the people around you.”

Now the opposition is busy with preparation of the Social March on November 4^th. The application for permission has already been submitted to Minsk city executive committee. The organizers ask for permission to march from Kastrychnitskaya Square to the National Library. The applicants have already sent letters to deputy head of the President’s Office Natalia Piatkevich, Prime Minister Siarhei Sidorski, head of the Federation of Trade Unions Leanid Kozik, and some other officials. Now they are waiting for the answer.