From the Interview With Mikhail Marinich

(November 2006, Spain)

Mikhail Marinich - Doctor of Economics, in the past - Mayor of Minsk, former Minister of Foreign Trade of Belarus, former Ambassador of Belarus in Latvia, the Candidate in Presidents at elections of 2001. In 2004 has been condemned for 5 years of imprisonment on the forged motives. In prison has gone through an insult (injury to some parts of his body). Under the pressure of the European Community and the USA was released from jail in April, 2006. His short stay in Spain has caused some interest of the Spanish mass-media. Here are quotations from his interview to "El Mundo".

- How would you characterize the state model of management in today's Belarus?

- It is very difficult for me to discuss this topic. It is an authoritative system. The Office of Public Prosecutor, courts, militia, KGB, all state officials are practically controlled by the president. The parliament of last three convocations is illegitimate, the same is true about the president himself.

-What do you think about the future of the Republic of Belarus?

-My only hope is democratic changes through honest elections. All should have the right to participate in the elections: representatives of the authorities and opposition parties under the open control and support of international community, including Europe, Russia,and the USA, but Belarusians should make their own choice.

-Do you think is it possible in Belarus?

- It was possible in Ukraine when at huge national rise under pressure of the international public repeated voting has lead to a different result,
for example.

- But, you know, that the support by the international public of opposition can be considered as intervention in the internal affairs of the country.

- It is impossible to change the system without any democratic interventions. The present "legislative" situation in Belarus allows to the president to receive at elections or referenda the result necessary only to him and his team. Now all is in hands of executive authority. If tomorrow at elections 99 % of voices are required for the president, they will be. Here some criteria which are necessary for applying in Belarus: a cancellation of prescheduled voting, attraction to work in the selective commissions of representatives of different parties, discharge of executive authority from the elective process, equal access of all candidates to mass-media and so on.