OREANDA-NEWS. April 14, 2010.  The opposition refuses to participate in the elections because it foresees its complete defeat, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told media on 14 April.

“They understand perfectly well that nobody will support them at the elections. But they want to save their face some way and start gibbering that our elections are allegedly non-democratic, that electoral law changes are purely for cosmetic purposes and so on,” said the Belarus President.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, nearly every present opposition leader supported his policy in the past. “Although I was one of the opposition in the past, I differ a lot from the present Belarusian opposition leaders. I never spoke against my country. I criticized the authorities, fought against defects. I was stomped on, beaten and crushed but I always fought for my country, for interests of citizens. The present opposition fight only for their own wellbeing. They don’t care who they serve – the West or Russia, provided they get paid”.

Alexander Lukashenko said that he had read reports that some pro-Western opposition journalists received grants from the West and worked for Moscow at the same time. “Here is a quote from their appeals to Russia: ‘Don’t believe Lukashenko. Demand his quitting the Eastern Partnership. Only when he promises that, you can continue the normal dialogue with him’. Can you imagine that the pro-Western reporters earned their living by Western grants and recommended that Russia should insist on Belarus’ quitting the European integration project! This is the essence of these people. Now the West’s refusal to give them money is their major headache. Without the money they claim they will not participate in the elections. They just can’t sort out their game,” said the President.

According to the President, modern Belarusian opposition activists do not need power after all because power brings responsibility. “For instance, if I always travel around the country from Verkhnedvinsk to Komarin, they will have to do the same, they will have to work if they grab the power. Otherwise, the nation would make comparisons and would say: you work ten times as bad as your predecessor,” remarked Alexander Lukashenko. “It is easier for them to make noise and cry as long as the West sends some money their way. They live off the money and live well,” concluded the head of state.

He also added that if the opposition grabs the power, they will undoubtedly have to pay back to their foreign investors for supporting them. “What will they pay with? Enterprises and lands. Does the Belarusian nation need it? It doesn’t. This is why they understand perfectly well that people will not vote for them,” said the President. This is why they blame the country’s leadership for non-democratic elections while refusing to participate in the election process. “Take part in the elections, fight, and prove that you can accomplish something. Prove with your deeds. The time when the nation listened to rants is over,” said the Belarus President.

“If the present authorities gave two or three dozen parliament seats to the opposition without fight (or if the authorities introduced some quota), then they would say the changes are good. But half a year later they would start claiming again that everything is bad,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.