Belarusian official media fear to name presidential aspirants

Newspapers in Babruisk printed materials on the election theme on October 13.

“Kommercheski Kuryer”, an independent newspaper (the biggest paper in the town with a circulation of 15,322) published an article “Supporting President” in issue #41. Author Halina Chyruk tells about signature collecting held in a park near “Tovarishch” cinema by members of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s initiative group. The newspaper didn’t write a single word about initiative groups of oppositional politicians, who collect signatures every day the public bath in Minskaya Street and every weekend on the market square, the campaign “Human Rights Activists for Free Elections” reports.

“Babruiskaya Zhizn”, the newspaper of the city executive committee, published an article “How Many Candidates?” in issue #81. Author Alyaksandr Tsimafeeu writes “pickets are organized in most crowded places of the town, where any voter has an opportunity to sign for any aspirant”. However, he doesn’t tell the names of the aspirants. However, it was mentioned in the article that over 600,000 signatures were collected for Lukashenka. “This figure seems to rise. People want to support Alyaksanr Lukashenka. Babruisk is not an exception,” Alyaksandr Tsimafeeu concludes.