E-bulletin of IISEPS Center for Documentation, N 3, 2004 (only Russian)
Content:
Introduction
Theme of the month:
Bravislava conference: is Europe ready to pay attention to Belarus?
Persone of the month
“Case” of A. Lebedko: message to Kremlin or to Belarusian opposition?
Document of the month:
Directive №1: “the mean preserving from degradation of society” or degradation of means?
Organization of the month:
Constitutional Court: again the special opinion?
Introduction:
Dear readers!
Next issue of “Infofocus” is offered to you attention. May, 1 10 countries of the East Europe, including our nearest neighbours Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, are entering the European Union. This event defines the new status of Belarus, which becomes EU “new neighbor”. Such position of Belarus forces leaders of the European countries and USA more attentively treat all happening in the country. Conference “On the way of European enlargement: the new schedule” taking place in March in Bratislava proves it. Though conference and its results were not actively discussed in Belarusian mass media it worth to be named the “Theme of the month”. This event really has great impact on Belarus and can influence the further development of our country. Leaders of European countries participating in the conference agreed that they can’t any more pay no attention to situation in Belarus. They also have declared a new strategy of Europe concerning Belarus. What will this strategy be? What consequences for Belarusian authorities and a civil society does it entail? Who will be the main Belarusian partner of the Eurounion in implementation of this strategy? Answers to these questions are in IISEPS comments.
Excitation of criminal cases concerning party and public leaders become a sad tradition of the Belarusian politics. Next one who experienced criminal prosecution is the leader of the United Civil Party A. Lebedko whom we represented in our section “Person of the month”. What are the true reasons of A. Lebedko criminal prosecution? Is it because A. Lebedko got access to Russian electronic mass media? Who will be Moscow’s favorite on forthcoming presidential elections? Read about it in comments of Belarusian politologist V. Suzdaltsev and the chairman of the Center of political researches (Moscow) A. Piontkovsky.
A. Lukashenko’s directive №1 “About measures on strengthening public security and discipline” causes wide discussions. Not just its contents but also the form of the document was discussed: whether the president has the right to issue statutory acts of such a kind? What does the document represent itself as a form of law? What are its purposes? What moods of top political leaders does it reflect? Expert of the analytical Center “Strategy” S. Levshunov tried to answer these questions. As, despite of all our efforts, we did not manage to receive the comment of officials we offer your attention the president’s reference to the document.
In the section “Organization of the month” we represents the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus. In March CC expressed the opinion on illegitimacy of application of a death penalty in Belarus, despite of the known attitude to this problem of the president and results of November referendum of 1996. Besides the head of CC G. Vasilevich dared very carefully to comment A. Lukashenko’s opportunity to be elected for the third term. Do these two facts mean CC has returned on a political arena after a long break? Is it true, what having lost some its power according to the Constitution accepted in 1996 Constitution Court tries to come from a “shadow” and be active? Vice-chairman of Constitutional Court A. Maryskin and head of public organization “Legal initiative”, former vice-chairman of CC V. Fadeev discuss these questions.
IISEPS executive board