Lukashenko’s Rivals Unite Efforts, Pledge to Topple Incumbent :: Charter'97 :: News

Press-conference of potential nominees for the presidency Sergei Kalyakin, Pavel Kozlovsky, Mikhail Chigir and Mikhail Marinich was held July 25 night in Minsk. Contenders for the president complained that the Central Electoral Commission did not count all their signatures. Earlier in the day CEC stated that only four contenders overcame the 100-thousand barrier. The nominees agreed that they would unite efforts in supporting the unique candidate. Mikhail Marinich, who isn’t part of the “five” yet also claimed that he would uphold the single candidate. Today he filed in resignation from the ambassador’s post to the Minister of foreign affairs of Belarus Khvostov. At the moment he is deciding whether or not he should join the five. The candidates aren’t going to sue the CEC for their arbitrary actions, although they will seek confirmation of election law violations, committed by the authorities. However, they will concentrate more on the liquidation of dictatorial rule and support of the one candidate from opposition forces, not letting the authorities get them stuck in court debates. “Jointly we will manage to attain our common objective – rid the country of the dictatorship’s yoke and return it to the civilized path of development,” – said candidates in unison.