Congressman from New Jersey Christopher Smith is co-chairman of Helsinki commission of US Congress. And depute chairman of Committee for foreign affairs. His reaction on announcing referendum: the choice will not be free and fair. “I think that this referendum, will open doors for life-long presidency. Belarus did not follow OSCE recommendations on voting process. If elections are not free and fair result of this elections is doubtful. This is a hidden attempt of Lukashenka legitimate his regime. We are very concerned with this,” – said Christopher Smith in interview to Radio Liberty. Congressman also noted that “It is necessary to pass Belarus Democracy Act as soon as possible and start assisting civil society and free press in protecting fundamental Human rights”.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko -- criticized by the West for his autocratic rule -- has announced a referendum next month asking voters to remove term limits, a change that would allow him to seek five more years in office.
One of fractions of European Parliament nominated Belarusian youth movement Zubr on Sacharow Prize. This Prize is given annually to fighters for Human rights. One of members of fraction Union for Europe of the nations Konrad Szymanski: “I believe that Human right and political rights violations in Belarus near border of European Union should be one of our priorities. This is the main reason to nominate Zubr for this award. Another reason is to attract attention of European politicians to events in Belarus. Unfortunately often European politicians look very far and don’t see that in relation to close neighbors we have serious problems and accordingly high responsibility.”
“Lukashenka’s decision to announce referendum about electing himself to the third term distressed friends of Belarus and people who respected president of Belarus”, -- said chairman of council for external and defense policy of Russian Federation Sergey Karaganov. “Not many people doubt that Lukashenka will win at the referendum taking into account actual situation in Belarus. None doubts that international community, big part of Belarusian society and people won’t accept resultys of the referendum,” – said Sergey Karaganov in interview to “Rossiyskaya gazeta”.
Aliaksandr Lukashenka congratulated Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Secretary general of Labor party of Korean Peoples Democratic Republic KIM Chong-il with day of KPDR founding, press-service of head of the state informed.
Lithuanian authorities estimate negatively Lukashenka’s decision to carry out referendum about lifting limit on presidential terms for one person. Head of Lithuanian foreign ministry in his speech on national said that this step won’t promote democracy in Belarus. According to him common position of EU about the referendum will be formulated during session on general and external affairs of EU in Brussels.
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has announced a referendum in which voters will decide if he can seek at least five more years in office. The referendum will be held along with parliamentary elections scheduled for 17 October. Lukashenka`s second term in office expires in 2006, and the current constitution does not allow him to run for a third term. The referendum will ask voters whether they favor removing an article in the constitution that limits the president to two consecutive five-year terms.
Opposition parties in Belarus vowed today to work together to prevent incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka from extending his term in office through a referendum.
A judge of the Leninsky District Court in Grodno, yesterday sentenced Valery Levonevsky and his deputy Alexander Vasilyev to two years of imprisonment for defaming the President of Belarus. “The outcome of these court cases represents another instance where the sentence is unjustifiably harsh in relation to the alleged deed,” said Ambassador Eberhard Heyken, Head of OSCE Office in Minsk.
Belarusian authorities refused to accredit a leading Jewish organization this week, citing a technicality, while members of the group said the decision was punishment for speaking out against anti-Semitism.
Belarus and Iran will conclude agreements on interaction in the sphere of security, on cooperation in customs affairs and agriculture, in the field of culture, art and sport, as well as in overcoming emergency situations. These documents are to be signed during an official visit of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to Belarus which begins on Thursday.
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