E-bulletin of IISEPS Center for Documentation, N 3, 2006 (only Russian)
Content:
Introduction
Theme of the month:
Election Results: Elegant Victory or Pyrrhic Victory?
Document of the month:
Findings of ODIHR OSCE: How Will Non-Recognition of Presidential Election Affect Current Situation?
Organization of the month:
Campsite of Protest: Act of Despair or Bravery Show?
Introduction:
Dear readers!
We offer to your attention the next issue of our information bulletin Infofocus. This issue is almost entirely given to the presidential election of March 19 and its aftermath. We had no doubts about the “Topic of Month,” yet it was pretty hard to choose only one “Person of Month.” Due to the specific character of this electoral campaign when all its active participants stood in the limelight and many institutes of state and civic society were involved in the process, it was really problematic to give the first place in March to only one personality. By formal criteria, the president, whom the Central Election Commission announced the winner in election, suits this place the best. However, his personal contribution into the victory doesn’t seem obvious: the head of state showed little activity during the election campaign and then disappeared from public after the election. As regards alternative presidential candidates, they failed to grab the victory and this is why it is more correct to talk out their achievements in the review of election.
What was the most important during this political campaign? Who of the politicians attracted the most attention? Who achieved the best result? How will the situation develop after the election? Why was inauguration postponed? We offer you opinions of two politicians – Associate Prof. V. Karbalevich, PhD in History, expert of the Strategy Analytical Center, and Associate Prof. V. Suryaev, PhD in History, Head of Analytical Department at the President’s Academy of Public Administration and Management.
At the beginning of March, it seemed III Belarusian Nation Assembly would be the only candidate for the “Organization of Month” since it announced the five-year plan for the country. However, the spontaneous campsite at the October Square in Minsk, despite its short life, influenced so much the public opinion in Belarus and abroad that it outran everyone in the “Organization of Month” nomination. What did the very existence of the campsite show? What do detentions of the citizens who tried to hand over foodstuffs, medicine and warm clothes to participants of the protest action, mean? How will campsite on the one hand and force and mass detentions of citizens on the other hand (according to Prosecutor General P. Miklashevich, over 500 citizens were detained for participation in unauthorized actions in Minsk from March 19 to 25) affect the opinion of community? You may find here totally different standpoints of A. Krasutsky, Deputy Chairman of the International Commission of the House of Representatives, and G. Pogonyailo, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
This time our “Document of Month” presents the preliminary report of observers from the Office for democratic institutions and human rights of OSCE. As the document reads, “The election of President of Belarus held on March 19 didn’t comply with the obligations to OSCE on democratic election, even though voters could choose between four options. OSCE mission for observation over the election has concluded that arbitrary use of state power and numerous detentions reveal defiance of basic human rights like freedom of meeting and association as well as freedom of word and raise doubts about willingness of authorities to tolerate political cooperation”. How can this negative decision of ODIHR OSCE affect the position of Belarus at the international arena? Unfortunately, state officials declined to give any comments on ODIHR OSCE report. We offer to your attention only the opinion of an independent expert and human rights defender A. Belyatsky.
We hope that you will find these materials helpful and interesting. We look forward to your feedbacks!
IISEPS executive board