Almost one half of the declared deputy candidates were not registered. Leader of the liquidated Labor Party Aliaxanadr Bukhvostau and chairperson of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada Stanislau Shushkevitch are two of the unregistered party leaders. BNF leader Vintsuk Viachorka, UCP leader Anatol Labedzka and leader of the Party of Communists Belarusian Siargey Kalakin obtained registration. Moreover, Mikalay Statkevitch, coordinator of the “Free Belarus” European coalition and chairperson of BSDP (NG), was registered. Deputies of the current “chamber”, the “Republic” group members Siargey Skrabets, Uladzimir Parfianovitch and Valery Fralou were refused to be registered.
President Bush at last has spoken out publicly against Vladimir Putin`s dismantling of democracy in Russia, despite his personal bond with the Russian president and his administration`s interest in preserving him as an ally in the war on terrorism. For that we commend Mr. Bush, who has taken a step toward backing up his rhetoric about "defending freedom" around the world. And we have a follow-up suggestion: Mr. Bush should also talk about Belarus and Ukraine, two European neighbors of Russia where popular aspirations for political freedom are colliding with Mr. Putin`s neo-Soviet project.
In Stockholm, by the building of the Swedish Parliament, there was held a picket dedicated to the 5-year anniversary of the kidnapping of Vice-Speaker of the Supreme Council 13 convocation Victar Ganchar and business man Anatol Krasouski. It was organized by the Belarusians living in the country. Deputies of the Swedish Parliament - Cecilia Wigstrom from the Liberal Party, Björnlod Leif from the Green Party and social-democrat Urban Ahlin, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Commission on the international affiars - took part in the picket. The action participants were keeping portraits of the missing people, national flags. The picketers were spreading leaflets with information concerning the disappeared Belarusian politicians - opponents to the present regime - among passers-by.
A rally marking the fifth anniversary of the disappearance of [former deputy parliamentary speaker and former chairman of the Central Electoral Commission] Viktar Hanchar and [businessman] Anatol Krasowski was held at Minsk`s October Square from 1800 to 1900 [1500 to 1600 gmt] on 16 September.
The election commission of the number 108 Kalinovsky district in Minsk on Thursday granted registration to Nikolai Statkevich, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Narodnaya Hramada" (BSDP), co-ordinator of European Coalition "Free Belarus".
On 16 September the liquidated youth organization “Belarusian Student Association” held the action “Procession of Homeless Students” devoted to the daily issue of many Belarusian students – absence of places at student dormitories. The authorities often express their pride with the fact that the number of students from villages increases. However, they make nothing to provide those students with premises for the time of study. The action participants wanted to proceed from the central railway station of Minsk (where homeless beggars often gather) to the building of the Education Ministry in Savetskaya Street, 9 with different attributes of homeless life – tents, sleeping bags, pots, lamps, spoons, etc. The police stopped the action by detention of several students who carried a camp bed. The detainees were taken to Minsk Savetski Borough Board of Internal Affairs. Three participants of the action were detained. Today they will be tried in Minsk.
The European parliament on Thursday condemned a bid by the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to seek a third term by calling a referendum to change the country`s constitution. In a resolution, EU lawmakers called Lukashenko`s announcement "a further confirmation of the authoritarian way in which he rules the country" and urged him to respect the constitution and refrain from holding the referendum.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament debated the European Commission`s position on the situation in Belarus, on which the MEPs will vote on a resolution on Thursday. Presenting the state of play in relations between the EU and Belarus in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), Loyola de Palacio said that it was "sad that nothing has changed in recent years, and that we are still criticising the same things". The general situation in Belarus is not "that of a democracy, but of a dictatorship", stressed the Commission Vice-President, who considers that "the required conditions have not been met to apply the ENP". However, she added that "the EU is prepared as always to try to make progress, if there is a goodwill gesture from the authorities of this country".
The 45-member Council of Europe, also based in Strasbourg, expressed concern over the arrest of two Belarus human rights activists who were distributing a Council report on the disappearances of several prominent political opponents.
Representatives of several embassies in Minsk have applied to Belarus` foreign ministry to obtain accreditation for monitoring the October 17 referendum and parliamentary elections, the ministry`s spokesman, Andrei Savinykh, told reporters on Thursday.
Two more parties, the Belarusian Popular Front and the Communist Party of Belarus, have nominated their representatives to the central election commission, Nikolai Lozovik, the secretary of the commission, told BelaPAN.
Aleksandr Lukashenko, the autocratic ruler of Belarus, announced a referendum on the question of eliminating presidential term limits. This maneuver would allow him to run in 2006 for a third term. The referendum is scheduled for October 17th and will coincide with the first round of parliamentary elections.
Activist of Amnesty international from Netherlands J.D.B. v.d. Meulen on behalf on his group wrote an open letter to Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Here is the text:
Miklos Haraszti, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, on Thursday presented his regular report on free speech violations to the OSCE Permanent Council, which, in particular, focused on the media situation in Belarus. Mr. Haraszti noted that several newspapers had been closed in Belarus in the past two weeks, which he branded “unprecedented in the OSCE family of democracies,” saying that it was “only one among the many signs of the menaces for press freedoms in Belarus.”
On the request of Latvia, Monday`s General Affairs and External Relations Council discussed the situation in Belarus and President Lukachenko`s plans to change the constitution to allow him to stand for a third term as President. In the conclusions adopted on Monday, ministers expressed `great concern that the incumbent President of Belarus has called for a referendum to be held in parallel with the parliamentary elections on 17 October 2004 to change the constitution of Belarus to allow a president to run without limitations in future presidential elections. The Council recognises the right of Belarus to hold a referendum as a way to decide on its political and constitutional organisations but stresses the need to hold such a referendum in accordance with OSCE and Council of Europe standards. The Council has serious and well-grounded doubts as to whether the necessary conditions for holding a free and fair referendum in Belarus are fulfilled.
Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan intend to reach agreement before the end of 2004 on simplifying the movement of people among these four countries participating in the Common Economic Area.
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