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Opposition leaders drop Rada of Belarusian Intelligentsia as mediator in selection of single presidential candidate

Opposition leaders have dropped the Rada (Council) of the Belarusian Intelligentsia (RBI) as a mediator in the selection of a single opposition candidate in the coming presidential elections, Mikalay Statkevich, leader of the European Coalition, told BelaPAN.

He said that the decision had been made at a round-table conference held by opposition politicians in Minsk on Wednesday.

"We believe that the Rada's decision to winnow down the list of potential single candidates to five last week was wrong," Mr. Statkevich said. "By narrowing the pool of contenders it lost neutrality in the subject of selecting a single candidate."

The Rada of the Belarusian Intelligentsia, which consists of prominent pro-opposition artists, researchers and other intellectuals, began consultations with leading pro-democratic politicians this past April to help the fractured opposition pick a single candidate in the elections.

Mr. Statkevich, Alyaksandr Yarashuk, Ryhor Kastusyow, Vital Rymashewski, Alyaksandr Kazulin, Syarhey Kalyakin, Uladzimir Nyaklyayew and Yaraslaw Ramanchuk gave consent to participating in the RBI-mediated process of selecting a single opposition candidate.

Alyaksandr Milinkevich and Ales Mikhalevich refused to be involved, while Andrey Sannikaw was undecided.

Earlier this month, the Rada shortened the list of potential candidates from eight to just five names: Alyaksandr Kazulin, Syarhey Kalyakin, Uladzimir Nyaklyayew, Yaraslaw Ramanchuk and Andrey Sannikaw.