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Malady Front withdraws from United Pro-democratic Forces

The Czech-registered Malady Front youth opposition group has withdrawn from Belarus’ main opposition coalition called United Pro-democratic Forces.

The decision was made during the organization’s conference that came to an end on March 16.

Malady Front suggests establishing an alliance of center-right pro-democratic groups as an alternative to the coalition, Zmitser Dashkevich, who was elected chairman of the organization, told BelaPAN.

“This idea was prompted by the complete ideological and organizational disunity among the members of the coalition, who have neither a common strategy nor a single leader,” Mr. Dashkevich said. “Furthermore, the members of the coalition are increasingly dominated by the Communist leader [Syarhey Kalyakin], who openly positions himself as a candidate in the next presidential election. That’s why Malady Front announces its withdrawal from the coalition and recalls its representatives from the coalition’s Political Council.”

Participants at the conference elected Artur Finkevich, Ivan Shyla and Anastasiya Palazhanka to be deputy chairpersons of Malady Front. The delegates also decided to continue trying to obtain legal status for the organization in Belarus, set up an “organizing committee” for this purpose and file requests with the justice ministry and the Minsk City Executive Committee for a venue to hold Malady Front’s founding conference.