Vital Rymasheuski: 'Non-Parasites Marches' Serve As Example Of Struggle Against Decree #1

We all achieved an important victory in 2017.

Co-Chairman of the steering committee for creating the party "Belarusian Christian Democracy" Vital Rymasheuski told this to Charter97.org, analyzing the results of the Outraged Belarusians' Marches, which passed a year ago:

- These protests have become the victory of the Belarusian society, because they de facto abolished the decree #3. This is the example of how it is possible to struggle against the arbitrariness of the Belarusian authorities inside Belarus, to force them change laws and listen to the people. In fact, this is the only way to defend one's right. Today, there are no free and fair elections in Belarus, so the only way to influence something is to unite, protest and demand that the authorities must listen to the people.

I always set the protests of 2017 as an example of a successful campaign by the Belarusian people on defense of their rights. Only this way it is possible to "correct" laws and in the end achieve general changes.

- The unemployed will have to face a new decree now - #1. How do defend one's rights in this case?

- The Decree #1 at present moment is deprived of anything concrete. Whether it will work or not - it will depend on the activity of the Belarusian citizens. If our society shows no activity, the authorities will bring the economic situation int he country to the total collapse and take the last from the people.

However, if the people show activity, just like they did in 2017, and demand fulfillment of their rights, the decree will never work. I am absolutely sure of this.

I admit that the authorities were so scared by the protest actions a year ago that they will not dare to introduce the Decree #1 in full scope. I repeat, there is nothing concrete about this decree yet, but it depends only on us whether anything specific will appear.

The activity of the citizens, just like in 2017, will be the best way to neutralize this decree. Now ministries and institutions are to fill the decree #1 with concrete provisions. What will appear there - this depends only on the Belarusian citizens. It's us who should decide whether the authorities will be successful in robbing the people again. We already have the experience of struggling for our rights.