UCP, BPF and NSDH Nominate Candidates for Seats at Chamber of Representatives

According to RFE/RL

The assembly of United Civil Party began with a scandal. The administration of the “Minsk” hotel didn’t admit delegates to the hall, rented by the party. On 29 August Belarusian People’s Front and Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada held their assemblies as well.

The assemblies of these three oppositional parties were held in unfavorable conditions – the delegates of UCP, BPF and BSDH worked in overcrowded premises, unsuitable for such measures. BPF and UCP held its assembly at their offices, BSDH used the PCB office. A part of UCP delegates had to stand during the whole assembly.

The majority of owners of halls in Minsk refused to lend them for nomination of oppositional candidates. UCP managed to rent the hall of the “Minsk” hotel, but when about a hundred of delegates came to the hotel, they weren’t let in by the hotel guards.

The UCP head Anatol Liabedzka said:
-- We paid the rent and submitted the paper where it was said that we needed to hold an assembly. Everything was agreed. Suddenly, when people came from all regions of Belarus, there were special police troops in the back yard and the hotel guards at the entrance. Nobody gave any explanations: we were simply not let in. It was also registered by the representative of the Justice Ministry who came to the assembly.

According to Anatol Liabedzka, the administration of the “Minsk” hotel can be punished for violation of several articles of the Criminal Code – hindrance to realization of electoral rights of citizens and cheating.

The representative of the hotel administration Siarhey Valodzka explained to Radio Liberty that UCP didn’t conclude the appropriate agreement:
-- There’s only bill that confirms that the money was paid, which is not sufficient to hold the assembly. The representative of the banquet service who dealt with this issue and has the keys for the hall door is absent. This worker is not accessible by phone. Why? I can’t say”. Siarhey Valodzka also said that there wasn’t any order from the authorities, only the worker with the keys was missing.

The ministry representative who came to the assembly was surprise and puzzled:
-- I am not empowered to give any commentaries, I was ordered to attend the assembly. I didn’t know anything. I came here together with you.

At its assembly UCP nominated 57 candidates for the Parliamentary election, BPF nominated 40 and BSDH – 16.

The BPF leader Vintsuk Viachorka thusly commented on the results of its assembly:
-- We adopted the final variant of the pre-electoral platform and amended it with five provisions, connected with social issues, among which there are worthy life, overcoming of the isolation of Belarus and transparent budget. We socialized it quite a bit.

Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada adopted its pre-electoral platform as well. One of the party leaders, Siarhey Karol, stated:
-- The essence of the platform is its orientation on social and economical issues of public concern, which corresponds to the fundamental principles of social democracy.