The Prakopieu-Yahorau bloc has announced its withdrawal from the third convocation of the Coordination Council, stating that this format has “fully exhausted its potential as an instrument.”
In its statement, the bloc noted that its representatives worked across three convocations of the Coordination Council. Among their achievements, they cited the organization of elections to the Coordination Council in line with democratic standards.
The bloc also said it had launched a mechanism enabling Belarusians with international protection in Poland to obtain visas for their relatives through notarized invitations.
In addition, the group said it had initiated the practice of hearings of the United Transitional Cabinet. During the third convocation, hearings were held with Cabinet Head Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, but, according to the bloc, no substantive discussion followed.
The statement also mentions hearings related to the case of former Kalinouski Regiment fighter Vasil Verameichyk, who was extradited by Vietnam to the Belarusian authorities. The authors said they had identified facts pointing to possible violations linked to the activities of the regiment’s headquarters in Ukraine.
The bloc emphasized that it was funded through its own fundraising efforts and did not receive grants. In the view of its representatives, the current configuration of the democratic forces does not facilitate a change of power or reforms in Belarus.
“We are forced to state that the third convocation of the Coordination Council has fully exhausted its potential as an instrument. The current structure of the democratic forces does not bring closer a change of regime or the democratization of Belarus. A significant share of actors is focused on preserving the status quo and imitating a process. Our principles of strategic planning, transparency, self-financing and the institution of reputation are not shared by those who make decisions.
Within CC-3, we did our maximum possible from the position of a minority. Therefore, today the Bloc is leaving the Coordination Council. We are closing this chapter and will continue our work outside the structures of the third convocation of the Coordination Council,” the bloc’s representatives said.
