of the BPF). His endeavour to participate in the presidential elections of 2006 was set back when he refused to forward the requisite number of signatures gathered for his candidacy. Pazniak and the Conservative Christian Party – BPF refused to join elections in the oppositional coalition led by Aliaksandar Milinkevich in 2006 election. He is a founding signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism. In 2018, Pazniak received the Belarusian Democratic Republic 100th Jubilee Medal from the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile. Family Zianon Pazniak's grandfather was Jan Pazniak (1887 (1895 ?) – 1939 ?), a Belarusian publisher, editor, publicist and politician. Jan Pazniak took part in the activity of the Belarusian Christian educational movement and was a member of the Christian Democratic Union since its founding in May 1917 in Petrograd. Jan Pazniak published several newspapers and magazines as “Biełarus”, “Biełaruskaja krynica” (English: Belarusian Spring), “Chryścijanskaja Dumka” (English: Christian Thought) and “Ranica” (English: Morning). In September–October 1939, he was arrested by the NKVD and taken out of Vilna. According to one version, Jan Pazniak was held in prison in Staraja Vilejka not far from Maladziechna until June 1941. The circumstances and date of his death are still unknown. His father was Stanisłaŭ Janavič Pazniak (1922-1944). Stanisłaŭ Pazniak was recruited into the Red Army in the summer of 1944 and died on the Soviet-German front in December 1944. His mother was Hanna Jaŭchimaŭna Pazniak (1922-2012). She lived in Subotniki almost all her life. In her last years, she was seriously ill. When she died in April 2012, Pazniak didn't come to the funeral, fearing persecution by the authorities. His wife is Halina Pazniak (Vaščanka). She was a deputy of the Minsk City Council. They have been married since 1995. She lives in Warsaw. His step daughter is Nadzieja. Criticism Stanislau Shushkevich thought that neither the West nor Belarus needed Pazniak. Shushkevich said that Pazniak is a political deserter, who cowardly ran away from Belarus. Pavel Sharamet thought that Pazniak was an intolerant and rough politician and his emigration was cowardice. Alaksiej Janukievich called Pazniak's accusations of collaboration with KGB "paranoia". Roy Medvedev thinks that Pazniak is a radical nationalist. Valeriya Novodvorskaya said that Pazniak "died" the day when he was frightened for his "precious" life and emigrated. See also Belarusian nationalism Stanislau Shushkevich References External links Bielarus.net: Bielaruskaja Salidarnasc Official Zianon Pazniak website –