UCP conference to take place near Lukashenka’s residence
- 14.04.2008, 9:13
The legal carrying out of the convention of the United Civil party on next weekend is under threat.
In less than a week before the planned date two dozens of institutions addressed by party representatives with a request to rend premises either refused or ignored the request. The leadership of the United Civil party has stated that the convention can be held outside. One of the possible places is the park in front of the residence of Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk.
“The convention will take place, whatever the outcome,” the United Civil party representatives said. Though all institutions that had received letters with a request have refused to lodge the conference, a member of the Political council of the United Civil party Syarhei Alfer holds the following position:
“More than 15 institutions have refused, while 10 institutions haven’t answered at all. Why should they answer, if they can ignore the letter, which is a violation of the law? However, we think that we shall be given premises. In any case the convention won’t be cancelled, it will take place whatever happens,” the politician said to Radio Svaboda.
And what if the regime would stay unpersuadable, and the oppositionists won’t be allowed to gather under one roof? In this case Syarhei Alfer names possible places of secret meeting delegates of the convention:
“We shall consider a question about holding the convention without premises, it could be the park in front of the presidential administration, Independence Square or other place, I do not know. But we shall find a place anyway. The regime’s actions are absolutely standard, we are not the first and the last to face that.
The previous convention was planned to be held in an unknown place as well. One of the variants was in front of the presidential administration near Yakub Kolas theatre. However, in a few days before the convention we were granted premises of the House of culture of Tractor plant. The same situation was with the Belarusian Popular Front, when the Palace of culture of MAZ was granted them in just a few days before the conference. It won’t do credit to the regime if the convention of the large oppositional party would be held outside. It would only undermine its prestige in the eyes of Belarusian and foreign democratic community, as well as in the eyes of Belarusian citizens. It’s not a sign of the regime’s strength, but of its foolishness”.
As noted by Syarhei Alfer, the regime often waits till the ultimate moment in order to demonstrate “generosity of spirit” later. Since the middle of 2005 the Coordinating Council of the Democratic forces tried to rent a hall for holding the National Congress of the Democratic forces, but unsuccessfully. The main issue on the agenda was nomination of the single candidate of the democratic forces for the presidential vote-2006. Only in the end of September it was decided at the highest level to give more than 800 delegates an opportunity to gather in the House of culture of Minsk automobile plant.
Among the powerful recent examples is the convention of the Belarusian Popular Front party in December 2007. Only in a few days before the convention’s beginning the state-owned conference-hall pf the House of Culture of MAZ was opened for oppositionists.
Almost all oppositional political parties and movements have problems with finding a place to gather in one hall.