Fair elections
Another “election” has been held in Belarus. Traditionally, the OSCE recognised it unfree and non-democratic. The opposition demands holding of fair presidential and parliamentary election. How to achieve this in Belarus?
Topic: Fair elections
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9:21 Anatoly Paulau: “No point in running in elections for candidates for local council members” 2
The United Civil Party nominated 120 party activists as members of district electoral commissions of Minsk. Only 10 of them succeed to pass registration.
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11:02 Gathering signatures banned in student hostels in Belarus 5
Member of initiative groups from different regions report about bans on gathering signatures in student hostels.
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12:52 Belarusian blogger asks Lukashenka’s administration to give approval to his campaign poster (Photo) 31
A potential candidate for deputy of Minsk city executive committee, a popular blogger Yauhen Lipkovich has sent an application to deputy head of Lukashenka’s administration Natalya Pyatkevich.
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12:14 In Belarus places for election propaganda remind “magic skin” 6
Human rights activists say that “elections” to local councils are neither democratic nor transparent.
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17:11 Belarusians don’t believe in fair elections 17
Opposition activists admit they meet problems when collecting signatures because people fear to vote.
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13:47 Belarusian CEC sees no point in holding pickets to collect signatures at local “elections”
Mikalai Lazavik, the secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC), thinks organizing pickets to collect signatures at the local “elections” is not topical.
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15:16 Hrodna mayor: One oppositionist in electoral commission is enough 12
A sitting focused on establishing the Hrodna city electoral commission for elections to the local councils was held on January 29.
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11:44 “Liberalisation” ends at the level of regional executive committee 4
Barysau executive committee without telling representatives of the civil society has chosen members of the election commission.
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12:43 Pro-governmental communists and Haidukevich supporters in Minsk regional election commission 5
A joint sitting of the Minsk region executive committee and regional council was held today in Minsk. The regional electoral commission was formed at the sitting.
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11:00 Vitsebsk oppositionists not included in electoral commission 10
A 13-member city commission for elections to the local councils was formed at a sitting of the Vitsebsk city executive committee on January 27.
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15:41 Belarus CEC: Mai thing is size of ballot boxes, not transparency 12
On January 21 the Central Election Commission approved requirements to ballot boxes for the upcoming “elections” to local councils.
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15:18 Local “elections” in Belarus scheduled for April 25, 2010 6
The appropriate decree was signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
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13:07 Conflict with Russia as a way of obtaining credits 15
Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed a number of laws on ratification of agreements in the framework of the Customs Union, despite of the “oil war” with Russia.
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10:09 Andrei Sannikov: “Bankruptcy of the regime became especially evident amid crisis” 12
The authorities are working out a new national security system. The opposition thinks the securities measures are measures to protect the current regime.
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10:04 International observers: “The very sense of election observation in Belarus reduces to zero” 3
Conditions for holding elections in Belarus won’t be improved after amendments in the electoral legislation are adopted, international observers think.
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12:41 OSCE/ODIHR sees no amendment to Electoral Code of Belarus 5
Belarus has violated agreements with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
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16:31 Human rights activists: “Amendments to Electoral Code are prepared behind closed doors” 21
Belarusian human rights activists say the main problems of the electoral legislation haven’t been solved, making it impossible to talk about holding free elections in the country.
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13:13 Yarmoshyna: Observers to keep away from ballot boxes 45
The chairperson of the central Election Commission has stated that amendment which guarantees observers a possibility to observe votes count in immediate proximity, has been eliminated from the law as “subjective”.
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14:45 Lukashenka to Europeans: Never in my life! 60
On the eve of adopting a decision on extending sanctions against Belarusian officials by the European Union, Alyaksandr Lukashenka stated that elections in Belarus should be held as before.
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13:27 Andrei Sannikov: “Policy of unilateral advances to dictator brings no results” 19
The leader of the civil campaign “European Belarus” had a meeting with the presidents of the Baltic states in Riga.
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15:03 Amendments to Electoral Code being prepared in secret 14
The Belarusian society doesn’t know what amendments the authorities are preparing for the Electoral Code.
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14:02 Bandarenka, Ivashkevich, Kazulin, Karnyaenka, Lyabedzka, Statkevich to struggle together 5
Well-known opposition politicians expressed a desire to struggle together at the oncoming presidential elections at a meeting with the Council of Belarusian Intellectuals.
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16:10 Free elections and voluntary resignation of Lukashenka can save Belarus 33
This idea was expressed today by leaders of the Belarusian opposition Andre Sannikov, Stanislau Shushkevich, Alyaksandr Kazulin, and Lyavon Barshcheuski at a press conference in Minsk.
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10:27 Schmidt’s statement: is it OSCE position or personal opinion? 7
Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk Hans-Johan Schmidt has stated that the ODIHR won’t consider changes to the Electoral Code recommended by democrats.
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9:36 Salvation lies 39
Invitation to Prague to the summit dedicated to the Eastern Partnership program of the EU for Alyaksandr Lukashenka has turned into a day of great lies, a well-known journalist Iryna Khalip writes.
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8:13 Vytautas Landsbergis: “One shouldn’t trust person accused of political killings”
Alyaksandr Lukashenka shouldn’t be invited for an EU summit in Prague, Lithuanian MEP thinks.
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20:55 EU’s Commissioner: Belarusian authorities should fulfil some conditions to be included into European Partnership 21
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said about necessity of democratic development of Belarus.
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8:18 European Parliament does not intend to lift sanctions against Lukashenka’s regime 4
The delegation of the European Parliament which visited Belarus recently, has not express oneself in favour of lifting the ban for entry to the European Union of Belarusian officials.
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13:52 Emanuelis Zingeris: “Russia and Belarus building aggressive alliance” 7
The Seimas (parliament) of Lithuania draws attention of the Europeans to a danger of creation of Russian-Belarusian joint air defense system.
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17:41 Andrei Sannikov: “Ghost of Munich-1938 seen behind Solana’s visit to Belarus” 37
“Lukashenka was deceiving Europe by his vain promises, and he is going to continue doing so,” stated one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition Andrei Sannikov.
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22:37 PACE delegation finally met with oppositional youth 9
Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe met Belarusian youth leaders on February 18.
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7:44 Cooperation with regime not only immoral but also dangerous 28
“Arrest of Autukhovich, Lyavonau, and Asipenka is a spit in face of official Europe and a good demonstration of the so called liberalization,” Belarusian political prisoners say.
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11:04 BNR Rada: The only salvation for Belarusian nation is to get rid of Lukashenka’s regime 22
The council of the Belarusian People’s Republic (the BNR Rada) has made a statement on military agreements with Moscow signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
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10:36 Breakthrough in media front 7
The euphoria that has seized some representatives of the “democratic camp” in connection with creation of “civil councils” by the presidential administration, makes one feel somewhat awkward.
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15:43 EU resolution on Belarus: No concessions in democracy matters 12
The European Parliament has adopted a provisional resolution on the political situation in Belarus.
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10:53 Freedom House: “No changes in Belarus” photo 4
Freedom House, a human rights watchdog organisation, has published the latest annual "Freedom in The World" report.
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15:58 Volha Kazulina to George Bush: “If European Union joined the tough position of the US, it would be good for our country” (Photo) 10
Belarusian bloggers, daughter of former political prisoner Volha Kazulina and journalist Alyaksandr Klaskouski, met with the US President.
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8:46 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. How Belarus marks December 10 (Photo) 1
On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Peaceful protest rallies are traditionally held on this day in Belarus.
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15:29 Andrei Sannikov: “Europe has demonstrated fidelity to principles, and it can be acclaimed” 8
The leader of the civil campaign “European Belarus” has made a statement in connection with presentation of the Eastern Partnership project by the leadership of the EU.
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11:37 Round table discussion with crooked gamblers 7
One of the so-called “steps” of the Belarusian authorities to meet Europe was organising around table discussion on activities of online media, turned out to be just a sham.
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15:22 Iryna Khalip: “I don’t believe in Belarusian kangaroo!” 37
The famous journalist commented on a decision of the authorities to permit distribution of “Narodnaya Volya” and “Nasha Niva” newspapers via the subscription catalogue.
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14:06 What can “cosmetic” liberalization give to Belarus? 20
The strategy of the European Union towards Belarus and 12 concrete recommendations on democratization have been shortened to 5 orally. Minsk has answered to it by its unofficial strategy. In the written form Belarusian authorities have particularized three oral promises.
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14:44 The Financial Times: Repression still rules despite thaw towards EU 6
Stefan Wagstyl, Financial Times journalist, interviewed Lukashenka and talked with opposition leaders and activists.
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15:34 Independent “elections” observers persecuted in regions 4
A persecution campaign was started against Alyaksandr Zhydkevich, dweller of Bychykha village of the Haradok district, who observed the “parliamentary elections”.
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11:08 Bruce Jackson: Removing Lukashenka from visa ban is a mistake, both strategically and morally 7
According to influential American expert Bruce Jackson, president of the Project on Transitional Democracies NGO, Europe started rapprochement and almost hugged “the last dictator of Europe” in response to Russia’s aggression against Georgia.
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14:08 Lidziya Yarmoshyna: “Elections are impossible without administrative resource” 15
Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna thinks using of administrative resource for conducting elections is absolutely normal.
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9:07 Rigging of elections results is main problem of Belarusian regime 8
On October 20, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at a meeting with journalists he didn’t see any obstacles for development of relations with Europe after lifting European Union’s sanctions on a number of high ranking Belarusian governmental officials. Members of German Bundestag have another opinion.
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9:00 Kaczynski: First there must be guarantees of real changes, and only then concessions 4
To the mind of Polish president Lech Kaczynski, the mission of the Polish Foreign Ministry Radoslaw Sikorski to Belarus started with an embarrassment.
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8:32
Decision of European Union is treachery, perfidy, and hypocrisy
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“Actions of the European Union have precise definition and analogies in the history. This is called appeasement of dictator. Europe behaved in such a way towards Hitler in 1930ies, and later towards other dictators in Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia,” Andrei Sannikov, coordinator of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, said.
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8:32 Andrei Sannikov: “European politicians hasten to encourage Lukashenka for his vain promise” 17
Andrei Sannikov, of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, commented on the resolution on the situation n Belarus, adopted by the European Parliament. The document suggests to suspend visa sanctions against some Belarusian officials for 6 months, though the recent “parliamentary elections” were recognised unfree and non-democratic.
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