Three Belarusan opposition organizations announced their intention to form a union

The “Tell the Truth!” campaign, the Movement for Freedom and the Belarusian Popular Front have are going to consolidate so that to hold a “people’s referendum.”

The referendum questions are expected to be formulated by the next local elections, which should be held no later than March 2014, Yury Hubarevich, deputy chairman of the “Movement for Freedom,” told BelaPAN on May 20. 

Andrei Dzmitryeu, deputy chairman of the “Tell the Truth!” movement, said that the questions would relate to the country’s economic development, the social protection of families, and the development of an efficient government system, whereas the collection of signatures for holding the referendum would begin during the local elections. 

Aliaksei Janukevich, chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front, predicted that the referendum would make pro-democratic organizations more popular and help “wake up the public.” 

However, several opposition leaders have expressed scepticism about the intention to hold a “people’s referendum.”

Thus, Anatol Liabedzka, chairman of the United Civic Party (UCP), said that his party had not been notified of plans to campaign for a referendum. “I believe that it makes more sense to push for amending regulations governing elections and referendums instead of participating in them on the government’s terms,” he said In an interview with BelaPAN. “If the Electoral Code and the application practices are not improved, Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Lidzija Jarmoshyna, head of the central election commission, will continue to dictate the results of all elections and referendums.”

Vital Rymasheuski, co-chairman of Belarusian Christian Democracy, said that the organizers of the people’s referendum had not consulted his party either. “It is impossible to hold a referendum on any controversial issues in Belarus at present,” he explained. “All attempts to do this have failed. Authorities simply refused to register the groups that would collect signatures for calling a referendum.”

Siarhei Kaliakin, chairman of the "Spravedlivy Mir" (Just World) Belarusian Party of the Left, said that the people’s referendum was impossible in Belarus. “If we want all voters to participate in it, we should establish a network of polling stations and election commissions,” he explained. “This cannot be done for purely technical reasons without government involvement. I [also] doubt that there can be strategic partnership between the right-wing Belarusian Popular Front and Movement for Freedom and the center-left ‘Tell the Truth!’ campaign.”