Iryna Khalip: If I Get Into "Parliament," I'll Arrange For Impeachment Of Lukashenka

The well-known journalist has described the main goals of the autumn political campaign.

Well-known Belarusian journalist Iryna Khalip decided to run in the upcoming "parliamentary elections" in the Partyzanski constituency № 110. Yesterday, a picket to collect signatures in her support was held near the Tractor Plant in Minsk.

Nasha Niva correspondents talked to Iryna Khalip.

- Iryna, why do you do this?

- It's an easy question, but at the same time a difficult one. Why do I do this? For the whole of it! To be able to say to myself after a few years, when I sum up some results, "I did all I could". And it's not about a line in the obituary, but for myself.

Above all, I am a conservative person to a certain extent, and I would be glad if there were methods and approaches that could be chosen once and for all. Now I chose: my strategy is a boycott. And I'm for boycotting forever, and never anything else. But I have realized that there is no universal strategy. This year, we need to do it this way, next year - differently, a year later - differently, and ten years later - quite differently.

Obviously, I don't really like it. But I have to understand that the world is changing, the situation in Belarus is changing, and not for the better. Thus, I have to change myself as well.

- In fact, you answered the following question as well: why you were for a boycott in the past, and now for participation.

- Three years ago, there was no such hopeless situation when the fuel for the nuclear power plant will be delivered to Astravets in a month, while on December 8, Lukashenka promised to sign new agreements on integration, and we do not know what will happen next. Today, the Belarusian land faces many dangers: the eastern neighbor, nuclear power plant, and people are losing hope in general. Therefore, we should try to change something in such difficult conditions.

- Did it take you long to make such a decision?

- No, five minutes.

- Really?

- Absolutely. I sat down, thought about it and decided: "Okay, I'll try." But I will tell you honestly that European Belarus made this decision with great difficulty.

Each of those who participate in the elections from European Belarus has a political background, has its own tough approaches, so it was difficult for each of them to make such a decision. As for me, it was easier for me than for anyone else, because I love to keep things moving.

- If it's not a secret, who offered you to participate?

- Nobody. Even my husband [former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov - "NN"] was against it. Later, apparently, he weighed everything and was no longer against it. Andrei and I make important decisions together, despite our pluralism and differences of opinion. There are no times when one person says "I'll do this" and the other answers that: "Okay, do it, but I do not support it. " We are always looking for a compromise that would comfort both.

- So did he support your decision?

- Yes, although he may be against it in his heart, I don't know (laughs).

- Will the Charter-97 portal support your campaign?

- Of course, it will. My campaign, as well as the campaigns of the candidates from the European Belarus and the Belarusian National Congress.

- With what proposals and slogans will you go to these "elections"?

- The main slogan is very simple: "Lukashenka must resign." What else? Astravets NPP should not be launched, we should return fair elections to the country.

You see, I'm not taking part in the "elections," we don't have them, I'm taking part in a political campaign and one of its goals is to return the elections. I recently thought that if we had fair parliamentary elections, then even under Lukashenka it would change everything in many ways. I know that nothing will happen when Lukashenka is in power, but now we have such a situation that it is necessary to participate in this campaign. But it is only my opinion and I do not know the ultimate truth.

- Oppositionists are often asked what their plan is if they are not elected to the "parliament." And what is your plan if you are elected, or rather appointed?

- This is not the paradigm we can talk in today. There is no "parliament", no "elections". Well, let's imagine that Lukashenka has become very, very bored, and he decided that there's nothing funny in this " parliament" any more, so let's have fun letting Khalip get there and see what she can do. If it happens that way, I will impeach Lukashenka.