Is it possible to hold presidential elections in April and not November?

In just one night political analyst Alyaksandr Fyaduta received three letters from allegedly Russian media. All of them asked to comment on the same information from "reliable sources" - Alyksandr Lukashenka will not participate in this year's presidential election, Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey being the presidential candidate instead.

"As we have learned from reliable sources, Alyksandr Lukashenka will not participate in the presidential elections. He intends to support the candidacy of Uladzimir Makey. Could you provide a very urgent comment?" says an email sent by someone posing as a LifeNews channel correspondent to Alyaksandr Fyaduta's address.

 

                                          Alyaksandr Fyaduta

 

If this were the case, then we would be discussing it the whole morning. And we would definitely call guests for interview on this subject, and we do not have that- one of the channel producers denies involvement of LifeNews in these letters. To be honest, I have heard this information from you for the first time and I'm very surprised. But where it came from is a very interesting question. And why this was it done at all? Who is interested and who benefits from this?"

Indeed, who could benefit from this? Belarusian political analyst Yauhen Preyherman sees nothing surprising in the fact that these letters were sent to  Alyaksandr Fyaduta. It was he who openly said last that Lukashenka will not go to the polls - who, if not him, should receive such provocative letters?

Yauhen Preyherman: "And if we think about who may profit from it, it could be someone in Russia - we know that the day before each presidential campaign, they are trying to use additional tools to pressure. For example, they say, ambiguously, whether they do or do not render support. It was like that in 2006 and in 2010. Could it be of interest to somebody in Belarus? It is possible: some people want to create some intrigue, to divert attention from other issues."

                                                              Yauhen Preyherman

 

Political analyst Yury Shautsou has a different view on the origin of information: "Fyaduta and Radzina: it was they who started this rumor in the media space. And why did they do that?"

Shautsou suggests there are "three precisely known facts: during a recent visit to Moscow, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that if he decides to go to the polls, then no one and nothing will stop him", that there were voices in favour of postponing the elections until the spring, but he refused, that the election is actually scheduled for November 15th." Therefore, Shautsou is certain, elections will be held on the presidential sceme and not as described in the letters allegedly written by LifeNews.

Indeed, according to the letter, the election was postponed to April 5. It is known that on January 15 the House of Representatives will meet in extraordinary session. If need be, they can, with the consent for the Prime Minister, resolve the issue on election date for April. But will there be enough time to organize and conduct the election campaign in such a short time?

"If in theory it is possible that, today, the Chamber will meet and appoint the elections, - says the CEC secretary Mikalai Lazavik. No! We have only February, March - only two months left before the elections! And the campaign lasts for three months. Even in theory this is not possible: we do not fit in terms of creation of election commissions, established by the Electoral Code. And, in fact, this information is not true."

 

                                           Mikalai Lazavik

 

Perhaps so. But we remember how the 2006 presidential elections were called and conducted. Let me remind you: on December 15, 2005 Alyaksandr Lukashenka meets with Vladimir Putin in Sochi, and already on December 16 the House of Representatives urgently meet in extraordinary session. The decision is taken to hold elections on March 19, 2006. And the election Formula 1 begins: lists of initiative group members were to be submitted to the CEC until December 23, candidates were to collect signatures within a month - from December 29, 2005 to January 27, 2006. On February 17, there was a registration of presidential candidates, agitation campaign lasted only a month. In total -everything took place three months. So if, for example, the date of the election is approved by deputies for January 15, and not 5, and it is possible to holld it on 15-17 April.

 

 

 

It is interesting that none of the Russian media, who alledgedly sent the letter to Alyaksandr Fyaduta do not have this information from "reliable sources" about Alyaksandr Lukashenka refusing to participate in 2015 elections.

Photo: Zmitser Lukashuk