BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

2005-12-16

Belarus sets date for presidential elections

www.chinaview.cn

MOSCOW, Dec. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The Belarussian parliament on Friday set March 19 as the date for the country's presidential elections next year, Russian news agencies reported.

The parliament voted unanimously for the date, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

A constitutional referendum in October gave President Alexander Lukashenko, who was first elected in 1994, the go-ahead to run fora third term.

The president has pledged "full of determination" to hold the presidential elections "accurately and elegantly."

"I will offer my services to the nation and I will say what I intend to do if elected and what I can't do," Lukashenko told a gathering of students in the town of Mogilev last month.

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/16/content_3931354.htm