Belarus lawmakers attracted to Belaya Rus by “sinecure smell”?
The European Radio for Belarus has learned that the Belaya Rus public association recently started recruiting actively its members amongst the deputies of the House of Representatives. To inform the lawmakers that they could join the association simply at the House of the Government, an announcement was hung right at the lobby of the parliament’s building. Reports suggest that almost half of the legislators have already entered Belaya Rus.
The European Radio for Belarus has approached those who did not join this pro-presidential organization to comment on the actions of their colleagues.
Syarhey Haydukevich, a member of parliament from his Liberal Democratic Party, told our radio that his supporters placed their own announcement, calling on fellow lawmakers to join his party.
The politician could not say how many MPs responded positively to the invitation to join Belaya Rus. However, he bragged that 28 people wished to join his party. He says that people are ruled by pragmatic intentions not sincere believes when they join the pro-presidential public association.
“One can always secure a future by hanging around the corridors of power”, he said.
In the view of Syarhey Kastsyan, a deputy chairman of the Foreign Relations and Ties with CIS Countries Commission, lawmakers tend to join Belaya Rus in order to get closer to the government’s sinecure.
“Many people felt the smell of the sinecure and ran to join Belaya Rus”.
Kastsyan says that he is not going to quit politics and will run for a parliament seat during then forthcoming elections. He is 80 percent sure that he will win. But he is not going to join the pro-presidential organization as a back-up. He did not see the announcement and says he is not interested in knowing who is joining. He will remain a communist until he dies.
“I am not interested in these matters. I have been a member of the Communist Party since 1963 and am not going to leave its ranks. Even if I remain alone, I will consider myself a communist until I close my eyes in the coffin. So I don’t care who is entering this Belaya Rus”, Kastsyan said.
MP Volha Abramava thinks that her colleagues are free to enter any party: Popular Front or Belaya Rus. But when asked if she considered joining this organization, she felt offended.
“ I am very surprised that you could think about me in this way”.
Whether Belaya Rus is to become a political party will be seen from its leadership.
MP Viktar Huminski who also serves as a deputy chairman of Belaya Rus confirmed to the European Radio for Belarus that the announcement inviting to join his organization was indeed placed in the House of the Government. It was also announced that a cell of Belaya Rus was formed in the parliament. He said that many lawmakers expressed interest but would not elaborate on the number of people.
When asked why MPs were so attracted to this public association, Huminski declined to comment, just saying that it was a voluntary business. He also refused to reveal if his organization was to be transformed into a political party.
