BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
16/03/2010
Democratic Opposition to Boycott Local Elections in Belarus
According to a joint statement of the leaders of organizations cooperating in the United Democratic Forces, all of the important opposition groups are going to boycott the upcoming local elections in Belarus.
While the electoral process started in January 2010, the opposition has not been successful in the accession of their members and sympathizers to electoral committees. At the same time, most of the candidates for election were not recognized and remain unlisted. Throughout the country any non-regime candidates and possible candidates are repressed by the police and security forces.
According to the leader of the United Citizens Party, Anatolij Lebiedzka, there is no reason for the opposition to struggle in such an election. While most of its candidates withdrew, it also organized consultations with other democratic groups. Two years ago a similar boycotting campaign did not gain the sympathy of most of the opposition and most of the places were taken by the regime supporters in a one-sided campaign supported by security forces, state-run media and the administration.
By Marcin Skocz, JTW
Source:
Archive
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