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Presidential hopeful Ramanchuk collects ballot-access signatures near main gate of Minsk Automobile Plant

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Economist Yaraslaw Ramanchuk, the opposition United Civic Party’s presidential nominee, took part in the collection of ballot-access signatures for him outside the main gate of the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) on Monday in an attempt to rally support among workers of the state-run truck and bus factory, BelaPAN said.

MAZ workers were either hurrying to work or returning home after their afternoon shift. Many just passed the table of Mr. Ramanchuk’s nomination group without paying any attention to it, but some approached the presidential hopeful to ask him questions and put signatures in his support.

When asked to comment on the seemingly low support among MAZ workers, Mr. Ramanchuk said, “People are not accustomed to making decisions on their own - someone else always decides everything for them. It is difficult to win workers’ trust with just a good program. They are not fed up enough to become politically and economically active. But a dialogue is the only means of arousing people. And as for people who put signatures in my support in front of their plant, they are more than ripe for changes in the country.”