Statkevich urged "deeply respected Nasha Niva" not to use the word "labuda," and Tsikhanouski not to complain about the media

I have long ceased to be concerned with competition for any personal place among democratic forces. The main thing for me is the future of our nation and country, which depends, among other things, on having the necessary number of strong patriotic leaders.

Therefore, I strive to identify and support those active Belarusians who have the internal potential for leadership.

Prepared charismatic leaders are a rare phenomenon; they are formed over years and are under close scrutiny and increased pressure from the regime. Therefore, they should be cherished and supported.

I regret that due to my imprisonment, I know little about those activists who demonstrated their leadership qualities in 2020.

We are not a very large nation, so I am pleased by the emergence of new potential leaders and saddened by the departure from active involvement of those who have already proven themselves to be true patriotic leaders.

I have a poor opinion of those who publicly declared their claims to leadership, led people, and then proved unworthy of their trust. In my opinion, this is betrayal. And there's no need for references to intimidation and threats, fear of prison, for loved ones and children. No one forces anyone into leadership. If you have chosen this path, you must live up to it.

Because are those who followed an unworthy leader and, abandoned by him, found themselves separated from loved ones and children, having gone through the hell of prison, somehow less valuable people? Do their sufferings mean less? Inability to self-sacrifice in the conditions of a liberation struggle against tyranny is a sign of unsuitability for leadership.

Even more valuable are leaders whose dedication to the cause has already been proven. For example, by prison or war.

I call this — they passed the "road test." Named after a Soviet war film, once banned by censorship.

I am very saddened by the online campaign against Siarhei Tsikhanouski — a charismatic leader who did much for the popular uprising of 2020, bravely endured prison torture, did not beg for mercy from his tormentors, and is now free. Undoubtedly, Siarhei made mistakes, almost inevitable after five years of complete isolation.

Emotionality is a good quality for a politician, necessary for influencing people's emotions. But it can be detrimental in relations with the media and online discussions.

Although it's hard to restrain oneself when supposedly democratic activists actively use speculations about prison "statuses" to attack former political prisoners. Especially since the baseless assigning of these "statuses" by the regime's prison guards is a well-known method of pressure and psychological torture of political prisoners.

It so happened that I am in the know regarding the "status" provocation against Siarhei.

I clarified its circumstances through people authoritative in the prison world. As it turned out, two criminals spread absurd and false information about Siarhei. One of whom signed papers in detention about "law-abiding behavior," and the other gave testimony against his friends during the investigation, which automatically deprives both of a respected place in the prison world and the right to make determinations about "status" and disseminate information about them.

Attempts by "democrats" to play on one of the methods of prison torture evoke in me a feeling of deep disgust.

Nevertheless, I want to advise Siarhei to learn not to complain to the media about critical, even if inaccurate, statements directed at him, and especially not to react emotionally to verbal claims and attacks from opponents, which is a necessary quality of a democratic politician. And if he turned to Russian poetic classics, I wish him to adhere to the poetic advice of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin: "Receive praise and slander with indifference, and do not argue with a fool." Or my non-poetic one: "Never exchange barks with dogs."

I would ask "Nasha Niva," deeply respected by me for its long-standing support of Belarusian identity, not to descend into discussions with a person whose merits and sufferings in the struggle for Belarus's freedom are undeniable, to expressions like "labuda." Perhaps this increases the audience, but it diminishes respect.

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