OREANDA-NEWS. July 10, 2008. Equal conditions should be created for all the candidates for deputies. The parliamentary elections in Belarus should be held without a backward glance at the West or East, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at the conference on the organization of parliamentary elections.

“All the candidates should be provided with an equal access to the media so that no one will blame us for creating favourable conditions for some of the candidates while acting in the opposite way towards the others. The so-called opposition are hoping that the authorities will exert pressure on them, because there is no chance they will win seats in the parliament. After all, they will have to explain to their sponsors why they did not make it,” the head of state said. “The people will reject them anyway. But you should create the equal conditions for everyone.”

“We need to remember that the elections are organized not for the West or the East, but for us, our country, our nation,” the President said. “Our people should make up their mind who they will vote for and they should not be deprived of this right and therefore humiliated.”

According to the President, there is no guarantee that “the West will not find fault with us” even if the elections are flawless. “We have to do it for our own selves,” he said.

The President underlined again that he wants the election campaign to be as open, democratic and transparent as possible. The elections should be held in strict compliance with the Constitution and laws of Belarus.

Elections should be held in strict compliance with Belarus’ Constitution, President says
Equal conditions should be created for all the candidates for deputies. The parliamentary elections in Belarus should be held without a backward glance at the West or East, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at the conference on the organization of parliamentary elections.

“All the candidates should be provided with an equal access to the media so that no one will blame us for creating favourable conditions for some of the candidates while acting in the opposite way towards the others. The so-called opposition are hoping that the authorities will exert pressure on them, because there is no chance they will win seats in the parliament. After all, they will have to explain to their sponsors why they did not make it,” the head of state said. “The people will reject them anyway. But you should create the equal conditions for everyone.”

“We need to remember that the elections are organized not for the West or the East, but for us, our country, our nation,” the President said. “Our people should make up their mind who they will vote for and they should not be deprived of this right and therefore humiliated.”

According to the President, there is no guarantee that “the West will not find fault with us” even if the elections are flawless. “We have to do it for our own selves,” he said.

The President underlined again that he wants the election campaign to be as open, democratic and transparent as possible. The elections should be held in strict compliance with the Constitution and laws of Belarus.