The Central Election Committee of Belarus  registered 4 Presidential Candidates on January 17.  A. Milinkevich, A. Lukashenko, A. Kazulin, and S. Gaidukevich got the certificates of Presidential Candidates. The agitation stage started on the same day.  The incumbent President declared equal opportunities for all the participants of the election campaign.  (21-FEB-06)

milinkevich-bigThe agitation stage started on the same day.  The incumbent President declared equal opportunities for all the participants of the election campaign.  

According to the legislation, each Presidential Candidate will have an opportunity to address his electorate for two times via the channels of the central television and radio. The duration of the address is 30 minutes. But instead of live broadcast the address will be recorded.  At the same time, the incumbent President has about 90% of the all the broadcasting, BAJ reports.

Electoral campaign violations
It is necessary to say about the provocations and impediments against the “united” candidate. This can be seen by the actions of local authorities who do not supply the candidate with premises or change the place of meeting with the candidate without any agreement with him. Detention and multiple examinations of the candidate and the members of his team by the officers of the State Motor Vehicle Inspectorate are common practice.  There are some cases when the people picketing for Milinkevich were detained.   The leader of the regional headquarters and the activists of youth movements supporting Milinkevich are subjected to systematic pressure from the side of the authorities.  Searches, detentions, and administrative sanctions are exercised.  No other Presidential Candidate’s team experiences such problems.

Freedom is our first word.
Nevertheless, the united candidate from the democratic powers looks ahead with optimism.    “The people of Belarus have been fighting for freedom for hundreds of years. And today freedom is our first word. We demand honest and legal elections that will be held according to the Constitution. And we tell the authorities – provide such elections and the people will agree with you. If the authorities will not hold such elections, the people have the right to fight for truth and freedom.  And no one can deprive them of this right”, — said Alexandr Milinkevich during the meeting with his voters.