E-bulletin of IISEPS Center for Documentation, N 4, 2006 (only Russian)
Content:
Introduction
Theme of the month:
Chernobyl March: Ceremony or Ground?
Person of the month:
Old New Prime Minister: Loyalty or Professionalism?
Document of the month:
Strategic Plan: Does Opposition Have a Plan?
Organization of the month:
Vyasna Is Ten: Rights Protection Centers Are at Stake
From IISEPS Desktop:
Presidential Election: Myths and Reality
Introduction:
Dear readers!
We offer to your attention the next issue of Infofocus bulletin. The column “Topic of Month” features twentieth anniversary of Chernobyl catastrophe and the events in memory of that date. In what way does Chernobyl influence the development of Belarus? How efficient the Belarusian state is in post-disaster cleanup? What is the role of Chernobyl March, tradionally carried by the opposition, in the modern Belarus? We asked these questions to O. Abramova, PhD in Philosophy, Deputy of the House of Representatives, and V. Karbalevich, Ph.D. in History, expert of Strategy analytical center.
This time our “Person of Month” has been given to the old new Prime Minister S. Sidorsky. In accordance with the Constitution, the Government abdicates its responsibility to a newly elected president. That’s what the Government did right after the president inauguration ceremony on April 8. On April 18 the president signed the Decree appointing S. Sidosky to the position of the Prime Minister, and on April 19 he promised to the other members of Government that he would not change the Cabinet radically – most ministers and committee chairs would be re-appointed to their positions; and they were on May 5. Except six ministers, the Cabinet remains the same but gains greater powers. What’s the reason? Why did the head of state decide to leave the old head of government? Why S. Sidosky? What skills of the head of government are so much demanded? We offer you the opinions of V. Hrol, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Permanent Commission on budget, finances and taxation policy, and A. Sasnow, Ph.D. in Economics, Deputy Director of the IISEPS (Vilnius), former Labor Minister (1994-1996).
In the column “Organization of Month”, we congratulate the human rights center Vyasna with their tenth anniversary. For the past several years, the center has been carrying its activity unregistered which is criminal under Belarusian laws. Perhaps, this has become the reason why government representatives declined from commentaries on Vyasna and mass media released no publications about Vyasna. In view of this, we can offer you only an opposition standpoint on this issue. Prof. Y. Khodyko, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front, member of the IISEPS Advisory Board (Vilnius), Doctor of Physics, answers our questions.
The “Document of Month” column presents the Strategic Plan of the united democratic forces. It was planned to publicize its draft in late April and adopt in early May. However, its public discussion was frustrated due to arrest of some opposition leaders for participation in Chernobyl March. Does the opposition still have a plan? At the Chernobyl March, opposition leader A. Milinkevich stood out with the initiative of president’s impeachment, although under the Constitution this is the Parliament only which can come out with such an initiative. Recalling of deputies of the House of Representatives stipulated in the Electoral Code is one of the first stages of this plan. Is this technically possible? What is the importance of the campaign on recalling deputies who “misplaced voters’ trust” for the united opposition? Here you will find viewpoints of independent political scientist V. Chernov and of P. Akulov, Deputy Director of the Belarusian National Press Center and Head of its Information Analysis Department.
Our column “IISEPS Desktop” offers to your attention materials reflecting the most interesting results of the nation opinion poll conducted by independent sociologists at the assistance of Prof. Manaev’s group in March-April of 2006.
We hope that you will find these materials helpful and interesting. Look forward to your feedbacks!
IISEPS executive board