Uladzimer Labkovch: “It is not improbable that Belarusian Popular Front party will adopt decision to withdraw its candidates”

At the moment it is known that precinct election commissions have not registered at least 20 candidates from the list of the democratic forces. And these figures are not final.

None of the oppositional parties passed this stage without losses. The Belarusian Popular Front party and the Party of communists of Belarus have had most sizable losses. District commissions haven’t registered five members of each organisation, “Nasha Niva” informs.

The denial to register two deputy chairmen of the BPF party, Vintsuk Vyachorka and Viktar Ivashkevich, is the most noticeable. The both politicians have been denied on the reason of “more than 20% of invalid signatures”.

Viktar Ivashkevich, who was to become a candidate in Kastrychnitski constituency of Minsk, says:

“I think that from my earlier statements the regime understood that I will criticize the electoral farce which is intended for Western viewers”.

In Barysau rural electoral district a local leader Syarhei Salash has been denied registration. He had several successful electoral campaigns in the town before that. “I was denied registration, and I am charged with libeling officials. It means that the first stage of the electoral campaign has been carried out by me excellently. That’s the opinion of my team, my friends and mine. And I am convinced that it is a hidden thought of those who persecute me and deny registration to me every election campaign. Now the second stage called boycott starts,” Salash said.

In general, losses are considerable among the young candidates from the United Democratic Forces list. It looks as if the regime wanted to show that it won’t tolerate active young people. The former leader of the “Right alliance” Yury Karetnikau was not registered in Minsk, and a deputy of the local city executive committee Zmitser Kukhley was denied registration as well.

The head of the campaign headquarters of Kukhley Ales Zarambyuk notes that Masty district remained without an alternative candidate. “The first deputy chairman of Hrodna city executive committee Vasil Stsyapura is nominated in Masty. Now we are going to file a complaint to the Central Electoins committee,” A. Zarambyuk said.

In Asipovichy Albert Yaumenau was removed from the race. The lawyer of the BPF party Uladzimir Labkovich says: “At the next Sojm we shall consider a question about expediency of our participation in the campaign. It is not excluded that the Belarusian Popular Front party will adopt a decision to withdraw its candidates,” U.Labkovich said.

Among the candidates of the Communist Party of Belarus which haven’t been granted registration are: Alyaksandr Halkevich (Baranavichy-Eastern constituency No.6), Paval Staneuski (Shchuchyn constituency No.60) – a deputy chairperson of the regional executive committee Birukova will run in non-alternative elections here; Vasil Laptsin (Byarezina constituency No. 61), Mikhail Silivonets (Zhytkavichy constituency No. 39), Alyaksandr Apanasyuk (Stolin constituency No.16). The four former have been denied registration because of invalid signatures. “Alyaksandr Apanasyuk was asked about a motorbike he had in the 1970ies. There is no this bike now, certainly, and he does not have much property in general… but they have found a formal ground,” the deputy chairman of the PCB Valery Ukhnalyou complains.

The Communists still hope that the denials to register some candidates are to be cancelled.

Four members of the United Civil Party have left the race for a deputy seat as well. They are a former political prisoner Ivan Kruk (Iveja constituency No. 53), Mikalay Ulasevich (Smarhon constituency No. 59), Artur Tsurbakou (Homel-Navabelitsa constituency No. 36), Adam Varanets (Homel rural constituency No. 37).

“I view all the events related to the elections rather coolly. I even haven’t visited the session of the electoral commission where I was registered. I am convinced that more than a half of our nominees could fight for a deputy seat under just conditions,” the UCP leader Anatol Lyabedzka said.

The politician says that it is impossible to announce boycott however, “having collected more than 500 signatures in Minsk and in other parts of the country, I can surely say that only about 2-3% of voters support the idea of the boycott,” he believes.

Three candidates of the Belarusian Social Democratic party haven’t been registered: Aleh Mikulin (Vitsebsk rural constituency No. 21), Maxim Kamarouski (Rahachou constituency No. 45), Iryna Veshtart (Smarhon constituency No. 59).

“Mikulin had problems with signatures allegedly. Kamarouski submitted 1002 signatures for a check. They told it’s not enough for registration. But in Pukhavichy Saldatsenka was registered with 1004 signatures. Iryna Veshtart is a person well-known in Smarhon, she was a deputy of the city council several times. I think her chances could be very high,” the chairman of the BSDP Anatol Lyaukovich says. Lyaukovich was registered in Brest.

Among members of former liquidated parties, the Labour Party and the Party of Women “Nadzeya”, Uladizmir Lazouski (Vasnyatsou constituency No.93) and Alena Yaskova (Hrushauskaya No.98).

There is no final information about nominees of the “European coalition”. “It would be good when 20 persons would be registered out of 51,” Mikola Statkevich says. He is not registered himself, as well as the chairman of the organizing committee of the Freedom and Progress party Uladizmer Navasyad, a leader of entrepreneurs Alyaksandar Makaeu, the editor-in-chief of “Borisovskie Novosti” Anatol Bukas, as well as Leanid Astapovich, Alena Famina, Natalya Byalova, Syarhei Kaval, Mikalay Kijka, Mikita Krasnou, Syarhei Kaltovich and Syarhei Kazlouski. Most candidates have been denied registration in Minsk and Western districts of the country.

Thus, it is possible that more than a dozen of constituencies with non-alternative elections will be in the country. And if the United Democratic Forces would ignore elections too, despite the calls of the US and the EU, there could be could be even 50% of such districts.