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Power to the People

24
Power to the People

20 years ago Belarus had a constitutional coup.

On November 24, 1996 Lukashenka's initiative launched the referendum, its results amended the Constitution, which, among other things, extended the presidential term of Lukashenka for two and a half years and made the consolidation of power his hands possible. The results of the referendum were not recognized by the international community, the European Union, the United States, the OSCE and other authoritative international institutions.

Today the opposition holds a protest action in Minsk. Mikalai Statkevich and Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu notified the Minsk City Executive Committee of it.

The action takes place at 6 pm on Svaboda Square, Minsk.

"This is not the application to hold the action, which is filed 15 days before the action, this is notification. Belarus misses the legitimate legislation on mass events. Current laws violate constitutional rights of citizens and do not comply with international obligations of Belarus," Milakai Statkevich stated to Belsat.

According to him, now we have to "be ruled by the Constitution and the practice of neighbouring countries."

"We inform the authorities that will use their constitutional right to freedom of assembly on Svaboda Square on November 24, where we will hold a meeting devoted to the 20 anniversary of the coup d'état, the black date in the history of Belarus", Statkevich stressed.

The Way It Happened

The referendum of 1996 was preceded by a tough confrontation between Lukashenka and the Supreme Council.

The political crisis was caused by the president's desire to concentrate power in his hands by 101%. For the sake of it Lukashenka initiated the referendum to amend the basic law, Salidarnasts recalls.

Lukashenka headed for trouble. On the eve of it he removed his political opponent Viktar Hanchar from office as Chairman of the Central Election Commission (although the appointment and dismissal of the head of the CEC used to be exclusively the right of the Supreme Council) and put in his chair his ardent supporter Lidziya Yermoshyna.

In response, the Parliament launched impeachment proceedings: more than 70 deputies signed under the request to the Constitutional Court. For all the time of his presidency (neither before nor after) Lukashenka has never been so close to failure.

On the evening of November 18, 1996 the Belarusian ruler appeared on public television. Lukashenka looked confused and appealed to agreement. Being unusually quaggy the president informed that the Constitutional Court might take the decision on his removal from power that night.

However, Lukashenka's team found a weak point of Valery Tsikhinya, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court. And it was not followed by an immediate impeachment, the chance was wasted and the initiative was stolen by the president.

Aria of Moscow Guests

Trying to defeat Aliaksandr Lukashenka, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Siamyen Sharetsky and his supporters reached out to Moscow. The speaker really counted on "help of the friend" - the head of the upper House of the Russian Parliament Yegor Stroyev.

On November 21 at about 7 p.m. "peacekeeping troops" landed in Minsk. Apart from Yegor Stroyev there were Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and Duma speaker Gennady Seleznyov.

Siamyen Sharetsky welcomed guests. Lukashenka did not go to the airport.

However, on the occasion of the visit of the high-ranking guests the President's administration and the Supreme Council sat down at the negotiating table. The search for compromise lasted all night. And the result was breathtaking: the Supreme Council committed political suicide.

Under pressure of Russian leaders Siamyen Sharetsky agreed to convoke a Constitutional Assembly, there Lukashenka would have knowingly majority of votes. Within three months that body should adopt a new basic law and the head of Belarus would get everything he wanted in the coming winter.

However, he decided not to wait for another 90 days. A few hours later after the signing he and his supporters among deputies plucked decision making of the Supreme Council and accused the Parliament of betrayal, and he himself refused to execute an agreement allowing for the consultative character of the referendum.

The rest is paperwork. The Supreme Council shot to pieces turned to be a punching ball for Lukashenka. Soon, Lidziya Yermoshyna announced the flawless victory of Aliaksandr Lukashenka at the referendum and overwhelming defeat of his opponents.

Lukashenka Should Swan off

"Lukashenka totally captured the power 20 years ago. Ordinary countries have three branches of power: executive one is run by one institute of power, the legislative power belongs to the Parliament, and the judicial is under control of an independent judiciary.

This person has violated the oath. The legal change of power in Belarus has become implementable. To play "elections" with Lukashenka means to play under his rules. He controls the election process and never "draws" the lower percentage than he needs.

In fact, all public bodies have controlled by one person. And we can observe it now. He has been trading in pieces of our sovereignty for a while. He wanted to completely sell it in 1999, but we stopped him. Then he has started trading in pieces. And he has spent money for his bureaucrats and security agencies. But now this scheme does not work anymore. Our economy has already come up to point when competitiveness is impossible in all markets. Belarus is getting poorer, Belarusians leave abroad and agree to any work to survive somehow. And there is the only one person to blame.

We will not be able to do anything, if we ignore the protest. The authorities will keep thinking that it is normal. They will make people starve. Force is the only thing the authorities respect, and when you resist they stop.

The action devoted to the 20th anniversary of the anti-constitutional coup starts on November 24, 6 pm, Svabody Square, Minsk. I do not think that the authorities will take any brutal steps: Lukashenka has no money. This economic and political model is a bankrupt, and he is forced to beg for money. Therefore, the authorities set their teeth will just observe our protest. There is no need to fear - the only way is to take the Square," Milakai Statkevich stated in the interview to charter97.org.

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