Authorities peek into opposition’s pockets again

ERB has found out that the leader of the UCP Anatol Laybedzka earns 350 dollars a month and has a 3-room flat in Minsk. The former deputy head of BNF Ales Mihalevich admitted that he was making about 800 thousand roubles a month as a translator. The coordinator of “The European Coalition” Mikola Statkevich lives on 610 thousand roubles of his pension in a rented flat. The head of the BSDH Stanislau Shushkevich accused Lukashenka of having stolen his pension, called him a jurisprudence ignoramus and refused to say how much money he made giving lectures. Alyaksandr Lukashenka mentioned the necessity to ask opposition candidates running for deputies about the sources of their income during a meeting dedicated to pressing questions of the organization of the parliamentary elections. ERB decided to do it ahead of tax inspectors and interested electors and asked VIPs of the democratic movement how much money they were making.

The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka told ERB that he used to be able to make some money giving lectures abroad before he was added on the list of people forbidden to leave the country. Now he only receives money for fulfilling his party functions.

Anatol Lyabedzka: “I have an average salary - 350 dollars. It is my official party salary. I used to be able to make some more giving lectures abroad. I have a three-room flat, a Renault, a garage and an empty plot”.

BT showed that Laybedzka was frequenting the American Embassy in a report some time ago. The “honest” journalists claimed he was visiting it go get “dishonest” money.

Anatol Lyabedzka: “There is no proof allowing them to claim that I am involved in some scandal. I do not suddenly appear to be a father of a 4-year-old child or an owner of a villa in Miami. There are no records proving I received half a suitcase of money in the American Embassy. It would have been a different thing and I would not be involved in politics now”.

Ales Mihalevich, the hero of the same movie, says he did not receive any money from Americans either. He says he makes 800 thousands a month by translating and giving legal advice.

Ales Mіhalevіch: “My official salary is about 800 thousand roubles. I make the money translating stuff, providing legal services, etc. I have a three-room flat in Minsk. I bought it 10 years ago. I also have a house in Maryina Horka. I it bought at the same time. I have never received a cent from the American Embassy and even if I had got some moneyed assistance needed for important and interesting activities, I would not have concealed the fact as I do not consider it to be anything bad”.

The third hero of the same movie, the leader of Brest affiliate of BNF Zmitser Zhymanski accused state BT of telling lies and claimed he had never received money from Americans. According to him, he has to make money in Moscow because everybody has been refusing to hire him in Brest since 2004.

Zmіtser Shymanskі: “I worked for many companies working in the field of public relations in the Belarusian market. Now I work in Moscow. According to the tax declaration, my yearly income was a bit more than 7 million roubles last year. I brought the declaration to the State Control Committee when they demanded it. I do not have any property either in Belarus or abroad”.

The coordinator of “The European Coalition” Mikola Stakevich told ERB he lived on his pension of 610 thousand roubles, did not have any property and was renting a one-room flat”.

Mіkola Statkevіch: “My pension is 610 thousand rubles, I do not have any flat or a summer house and I am renting a one-room flat in an old house. I drive the car my brother bought me and it officially belongs to him”.

The official income of the leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada Stanislau Shushkevuich is 3200 roubles a month. The former head of the Belarusian Supreme Council says that the President personally allocated him the pension.

Stanіslau Shushkevіch: “Lukashenka is personally stealing money from me because my pension is 1 euro a month – 3200 roubles. It was his personal order”.

Professor Shushkevich gives lectures all over the world to survive – from Poland and Ukraine to the USA and Japan. However, he refused to tell us how much money he was making that way.

Stanіslau Shushkevіch: “It is an economic secret. I need to pay taxes in Japan according to its legislation and to avoid double taxing. They will start taxing me here if I announce the sum. No, thank you! According to the law, I cannot give evidence against myself. This person, being a jurisprudence ignoramus and a thief of my money, should not make such statements and lie. He should better answer how much budget money he uses”.

Speaking about property, the politician said he had a Zhiguli, a flat in Minsk and a summer house he had built 20 years ago.