23.09.2008 Mahiliou: Ales Silkou’s campaign materials torn down at the gates of Elektrarukhavik plant

“Vital Makaranka, member of my initiative group, posted my campaign poster at the gates of Elektrarukhavik plant, -- candidate Ales Silkou says. – when he came to the plant gates again he noticed that the poster was not there. Instead, there were campaign materials for the pro-governmental candidate Yushkevich hanging on its place”.

23.09.2008 Maladechna: Rayon executive committee promotes candidate

Observers found out, last week deputy chair of Maladechna rayon executive committee Yafim Idelchyk gathered meetings of business representatives. Besides discussion of the issues on the agenda, he promoted official candidate Mikalai Zhhun (Maladechna city district # 70). Mikalai Zhhun is director of Maladechna Polytechnical college. He has two opponents in his district: UCP member Alexander Shumkevich and individual entrepreneur Ivan Mishyn.

22.09.2008 Kanstantsin Zhukouski dropped out of the parliamentary race

On September 22nd candidate in Buda-Kashaliouskaya district # 38 Kanstantsin Zhukouski withdrew his candidacy. He has already submitted the appropriate statement to the district election commission.

Kanstantsin Zhukouski ran as a candidate on the UDF list.

22.09.2008 Homel region: independent web-sites cover election campaign

A number of regional web-sites regularly publish information about the election campaign in Homel region. They publish both their own and local news, published by the national independent sources. In particular the regional web-sites offer the visitors information about unequal conditions for official and pro-democratic candidates.

22.09.2008 Less and less candidates left

Less and less candidates continue to participate in the election to the Chamber of Representatives. 270 candidates continue the struggle for 110 mandates. CEC secretary Mikalai Lazavik gave this number to RFE/RL today. Out of 270 candidates, 69 represent the United Democratic Forces.

22.09.2008 Lukashenka: “Observers should not press on election commissions”

Unprecedented conditions for transparency of the election campaign have been created in Belarus, state leader Alexander Lukashenka claimed at the conference about the course of the election today.

The Belarusian leader especially stressed that practically everyone who wanted to observe the election were invited to the country.

22.09.2008 Yarmoshyna: “Week-ends are sacred…"

In its Saturday issue Edinstvo newspaper, founded by Barysau rayon executive committee, published information about the possibility of early voting on its front page. The appeal was followed by Yarmoshyna's response to the question, how widely early voting is practiced in the CIS and other countries of the world.

Yarmoshyna claims, that the “week-ends are sacred for people, city residents go to the country. And it is too expensive to appoint elections on a week-day, making it a holiday“.

22.09.2008 Spontaneous rally of entrepreneurs takes place in Brest market

A spontaneous rally of entrepreneurs took place at Varshauski market of Brest, RFE/RL reports. The reason was the actions of the tax inspectors. They arrived to the market and demanded conformance certificates from sellers of baby carriages. The entrepreneurs were outraged because they had the quality certificates and all the necessary documents.

22.09.2008 Polatsak: Detentions for distributing newspaper Vybar

Polatsak police drew up reports on youth activists Ales Krutkin from Polatsak and Kastus Ivanou from Vitebsk. The guys accused of distribution of printed materials without publisher’s data had to spend 1.5 hours in the police station. When the reports were drawn up, the police informed them they would receive summons to court or administrative commission.

The police officers did not return 228 copies of Vybar newspaper that advocates for boycott of the parliamentary election.

22.09.2008 Elections boycotted in Smarhon

When opposition candidates were not registered in Smarhon district # 59, local activists began the campaign for boycotting the election.

Let us remind the readers, the district commission refused to register UCP candidate Mikalai Ulasevich and BSDP (H) activist Iryna Veshtard. The election will be uncontested in the district: the only candidate, and, no doubt, the future “people’s representative” will be the incumbent MP, pro-governmental communist Tatsiana Holubeva.

22.09.2008 Loyeu: Official candidates suffer from state newspaper

The newspaper of Loyeu rayon executive committee “Serp I Molat” of September 20th, 2008 published an appeal to the voters of official candidate H. Dashkevich who runs in Khoiniki district # 47. The authorities were so keen to publish the “appeal to the people” as soon as possible that they forgot to publish the name of the candidate. Isn’t that a scandal? We wonder if the candidate is going to complain to Loyeu court asking for compensation of moral damage.

22.09.2008 Vitebsk: Commissions lost in time

Polling station # 56 of Kastrychnitski rayon of Vitebsk (Vitebsk-Kastrychnitskaya district # 20) is designed according to the norms of the election legislation. At least, it looks like that at first glance. However, if one takes time to carefully read the plan of work of the precinct election commission, placed at the information board one can get an impression that a time funnel has been created in the area, and time is flowing back there.

22.09.2008 Homel: Military forces strengthen the center?

Extra-ordinary activity of the military was noticed in Homel on September 18th. Ten days before the election, the military and equipment began to move to the center of the city.

22.09.2008 Vitebsk: campaign materials of the official candidate found at polling station

On September 20th Vitebsk residents continued to nominate observers to precinct election commissions and polling stations. At the same time, observers encountered certain problems.

22.09.2008 Election week: events and generalizations

The main intrigue of the week is a question: will or won’t opposition candidates participate in elections? The integrated approach is not developed, though some of the candidates have withdrawn their candidacies. The quantity of uncontested districts for this week has accrued up to 14, that make up 15 % from total. The elections in the parliament’s upper chamber – Council of the Republic – will pass absolutely uncontested.