What does it take to become a MP?
Well, we are not sure if Lyudmila Graznova is joyking, but she says that election is a good reason to find… a husband. She was offered marriage while collecting signatures door-to-door.
“When a woman is lonely and seeking for a spouse, becoming a MP candidate is the best way to sort this problem out”.
Did “fiancés” refuse a signature if a candidate had no marriage on the mind?
Ihar Rynkevich says he, on the opposite, was almost breaking a happy family and setting up a divorce once.
“It was the most hilarious case when a female voter asked me to repair a water tub in the bathroom. She put her signature and I rolled my sleeves to fix the problem. But her husband came and was surprised to face another man in the bathroom with his wife”.
Luckily, Ihar Rynkevich was gathering signatures together with a woman from his nomination group. She would explain the stunned husband what the case was about.
Male voters also try to become friends with Volha Kozulina. They ask for a phone number and even offered a glass of wine once.
“In Sukharava (Minsk’s sleeping district), I was offered to drink a bottle of wine. They would say: “Drink with me and I will vote for you”. I said that I was driving, but they would refuse to sign for me. On many occasions, they would ask for my phone number”.
Anatol Lybedzka, the leader of the Uniteв Civic Party (UCP), was surprised with Volha Kozulina’s reaction.
“I would be invited every evening to have a tea or coffee. I used this opportunity only once when a woman was my opponent. I decided to turn her into my supporters. When we started talking, that woman said: “Well, you are talking sense. Please, take a sit for a drink”. Later, she put her signature for my nomination”.
Viktar Kavalchuk had it the hardest to get a signature. But the voter seemed to be satisfied with such a strong candidate.
“He asked: “What are you going to do after the elections?” I said I was going to give people a hand. He said: “Well, you are right in time to help me”. He had several four-meter timber boards to carry to the seventh floor. I had to spend some 30 minutes to help him physically”.
Afterwards, the owner of the timber boards promised to vote for Viktar Kavalchuk and have his relatives, leave alone the neighbors, vote for him as well.
We will see next week what other jokes voters have prepared for their representatives.
