Belarus

[Gangerolf]

So, elections in Belarus tomorrow.

Anyone following the developments in this country? (often refered to as "Europe's last dictatorship" in the evil liberal western media)

[Gangerolf]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4817492.stm

Belarus blocks more poll monitors


Belarus has expelled more foreign observers ahead of Sunday's election which sees President Alexander Lukashenko running for a third term.

Nine Georgian MPs were detained at Minsk airport and two Polish reporters were turned back at the border.

Belarus has accused foreign countries of backing the opposition and Mr Lukashenko has warned he will not tolerate any attempt at a "coup".

The US and EU accuse him of relying on Soviet-style authoritarian methods.

The head of Belarus' security service, Stepan Sukhorenko, has said the opposition plans to use Sunday's election to seize power by force.

One opposition candidate, Alexander Milinkevich, denied the accusations, and said the election would be rigged.

Opinion polls are virtually non-existent in Belarus nor are exit polls due to be taken.

'No conflicts here'

In a final televised election address on Friday, President Lukashenko warned foreign monitors not to "exceed their remit".

Alexander Milinkevich at opposition rally
Milinkevich has said the Ukrainian revolution was an inspiration

"Observe, draw conclusions, but do not decide for us... what path the Belarusian people should take," he said.

Mr Lukashenko defended his record in office, saying the economy was strong and the republic had avoided "social, political, racial and religious conflicts".

Arguing that the presence of four rival candidates was proof of democracy, he warned that political violence would not be tolerated.

"I guarantee that there won't be a coup d'etat in this country," he said.

Large-scale street protests led to the fall of leaders in other ex-Soviet republics, notably Ukraine and Georgia.

Alexander Kozulin, one of the opposition candidates, told a rally in Minsk on Friday that nobody wanted "violence" but he called for a mass demonstration.

"I appeal to all voting against Lukashenko to go into the street and thus prove that the results are rigged," he told the rally of about 1,000 people.

"It is time for Belarus to awaken and shake off its fascist dictatorship."

Concern

Belarussian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov told EU ambassadors on Thursday that responsibility for the consequences of any mass disorder would lie with the opposition and foreign governments which backed it.

European Union foreign policy envoy Javier Solana expressed "indignation and surprise" at the warning.

Any crackdown on opposition rallies would, he said, "meet with a strong international reaction".

"We are deeply concerned about those reports. We're deeply concerned about the direction of the government of Belarus and their lack of moving in a democratic direction,"

The White House has also expressed "deep concern" about reports of a crackdown.

"This is one country... that has moved in the opposite direction of democracy and freedom," said spokesman Scott McClellan.

[Gangerolf]

President Lukashenko's homepage: http://www.president.gov.by/eng/


"Being the President, I sometimes have to take unpopular decisions. I know that I will not be liked because of that. But my objective is to urge everybody to love the country where we live and respect the authorities which have never abandoned the people in grief. One cannot but agree that whatever happened there was immediate response from the authorities. To protect people is my main job. It is to serve this purpose that I've been hired by the nation."

[DanS]

I've been watching this off and on. Interesting stuff.

[Gangerolf]

I'm thinking that an "orange revolution" (like in Ukraine) is probably not going to happen in Belarus (at least not soon)... because
1) Lukashenko is relatively popular
2) Belarus is much much more authoritarian than Ukraine was.

[Combat Ingrid]

Lukashenko

[Saras]

Re: Belarus

Originally posted by Gangerolf
So, elections in Belarus tomorrow.

Anyone following the developments in this country? (often refered to as "Europe's last dictatorship" in the evil liberal western media)

They're 2 hours away from me, and that scares the bejeezus out of me. The head of security there said that protesters will be deemed as terorists and sentenced to between 10-25 years. PROTESTERS!!!

[Gangerolf]

10-25 years is nothing compared to this:

Police have said that protesters "trying to destabilise the situation" will be treated as terrorists and could face the death penalty.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4821502.stm

Lithuania should invade, dig up Lukashenko's WMDs and annex the place.

[VetLegion]

Belarus is living on subsidised energy from Russia. Only when, and if, the Lord God Putin decides, change in Belarus happens.

[Gangerolf]

82.6% for teh Lukasjenko

82.6%.



maybe it's the mustache

[Jon Miller]

he has a ways to go to reach 100%

lets give him another decade

jM

[Fake Boris]

I'm waiting for Serb.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Gangerolf
82.6% for teh Lukasjenko

82.6%.

Wow

[Fake Boris]

But he improved the economy!

[Gangerolf]

yes, if "improved" = "no change since Soviet times"



EU sanctions could follow Belarus election fraud



I don't really believe in sanctions. They seldom work.
But at least the EU is thinking about doing something about a dictatorship in the middle of the continent.

Visa ban could be extended
Extension of the current EU visa ban on seven Belarusian officials to more names is the most likely first move, but Belarusian NGOs say the list should be long and include family members.

"They still go on holiday to Turkey. Their wives and children go shopping in London and New York," NGO activist Natalia explained.

But this kind of sanction is better. Make the tyrants hurt. Then again I can't really see how this would make much of a difference.