Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK341
2006-03-28 13:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
Minsk Election Weekly XIV (March 18-March 24)
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UNCLAS MINSK 000341
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: Minsk Election Weekly XIV (March 18-March 24)
UNCLAS MINSK 000341
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: Minsk Election Weekly XIV (March 18-March 24)
1. This is the fourteenth in a weekly series of election-
oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to
the March 19 presidential elections.
--------------
Election Results
--------------
2. CEC Gives Final Results
On March 23, CEC Head Lidiya Yermoshina described Lukashenko's
election campaign as "brilliant" after announcing that the
president won 83 percent of the vote. Milinkevich received
only 6.1 percent of the votes, followed by Gaidukevich and
Kozulin, who received 3.5 and 2.2 respectively. According to
Yermoshina, approximately 5.5 million people voted for
Lukashenko, which is 800,000 more than in 2001. Ninety-three
percent of registered voters, or 6,614,998 people, voted in
this year's elections. Yermoshina linked the high turnout to
"vigorous propaganda" against the GOB and the people's "robust"
response.
3. Prosecutor Says Elections Democratic
The Prosecutor General's Office on March 21 announced that the
March 19 presidential elections were democratic and conducted
on "the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage." The
Prosecutor General's Office claimed to have received 300
complaints of electoral law abuses during the signature
campaign including the "illegal" distribution of campaign
materials. Police seized over 1,200 "illegally" printed
newspapers and pamphlets. Prosecutors brought misdemeanor
charges against 25 people for electoral law violations and
opened a criminal case into alleged forged signatures
supporting Kozulin.
4. Russian Party Leader Questions Official Election Results
At a March 20 news conference in Minsk, Leader of Russia's
Liberal Union of Right Forces (SPS) Nikita Belykh contested the
official Belarusian presidential election results. According
to Belykh, at polling station number 20, only 726 ballots were
distributed, but 759 people still managed to vote. Deputy
Chairman of the United Civic Party Aleksandr Dobrovolsky said
that a member of the election commission at polling station 20
insisted he had counted 208 votes for Milinkevich, but the
official tally resulted in only 150 votes for the independent
candidate. Independent observation coordinator Vladimir
Sekerko told independent news source Belapan that at nine
polling stations in Gomel, 2,472 people allegedly voted.
However, when the results were announced, 149 extra votes
appeared.
5. CIS Declares Elections Free and Transparent
On March 20, CIS observation mission head Vladimir Rushailo
declared Belarus' presidential elections were "free, open, and
transparent." Rushailo reported several minor flaws in the
election, particularly polling booths that were too narrow and
voters in a few districts had the wrong addresses of polling
stations. Rushailo also complained that poll workers had
refused to provide information about the number of people who
had voted early. However, Rushailo said the election went
smoothly despite "unprecedented external pressure," such as
"biased" statements, harsh opinions, and warnings about
political and economic sanctions.
6. Russian MP Slams Election Results
Russia's liberal MP Vladimir Ryzhkov on March 19 called
Belarus' early voting process "strange" and claimed no country
in the world had 25 - 30 percent turnouts during early voting.
Ryzhkov called the process "dubious" because it provided
opportunities for ballot stuffing and forcing people to vote
for a particular candidate. Later on March 20, Ryzhkov slammed
the elections as undemocratic and illegitimate and lashed out
at authorities for arresting Lukashenko opponents.
--------------
Exit Polls
--------------
7. Russia Polling Service Denies Exit Polls In Belarus
On March 20, Russian polling service Levada denied conducting
exit polls during Belarus' presidential elections. According
to a Levada spokesperson, Levada unsuccessfully applied for
accreditation to conduct exit polls and tried to conduct a
telephone survey, but failed as many respondents refused to
reply. Levada's statement came after Milinkevich campaign
manager Sergei Kalyakin told a crowd of supporters at October
Square on March 19 that according to Levada's exit polls,
Lukashenko had 47 percent of the vote and Milinkevich had 30
percent.
--------------
Congratulations
--------------
8. Putin Congratulates Lukashenko
Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 20 sent a telegram of
congratulations to Lukashenko. "The outcome of the election
testifies to the confidence of voters in the policy that you
are implementing to ensure the further rise in the Belarusian
people's well-being....I am convinced that thanks to joint
efforts, we will manage to really advance on the path of the
formation of the Union State and ensure the irreversible
development of our countries." Lukashenko also received
congratulations from Fidel Castro, Syrian leader Bashar al-
Assad, and former president of Kyrgyztan Askar Akayev.
--------------
Repression and Harassment
--------------
9. Ukrainian Youth Deported
Seven members of the Ukrainian youth movement National Alliance
on March 20 were deported. The activists were arrested on
March 19 after the October Square rally.
10. Websites Blocked
According to independent news source Belapan, authorities on
March 19 used a process called traffic shaping to block access
to several Belarusian websites. Traffic shaping is a procedure
to reduce volume traffic and cannot be easily countered.
Authorities denied the claims and said the websites' problems
were due to too many users on the system at once.
11. Customs Seize Money From Activists
On March 21, custom officers seized USD 1,000 from two
opposition activists as they were traveling from Ukraine to
Belarus. Svyatoslav Shalamov from Gomel and Aleksei Kupreyev
from Mogilev were held for four hours at the border crossing
while custom officers examined their passports and searched
their possessions without providing an explanation. The
officers seized USD 400 from Kupreyev and USD 700 from Shalamov
on the grounds that the money was counterfeit. Shalamov plans
to file a complaint. The activists observed the 2004
Parliamentary elections and referendum as members of the
unregistered group Partnership.
12. Vyachorka Released From Jail
On March 23, authorities released leader of the Belarusian
Popular Front (BPF) and senior Milinkevich campaign member
Vintsuk Vyachorka from jail after serving a 15-day sentence for
organizing and participating in a March 8 Milinkevich meeting
with voters. Relatives, reporters, and opposition supporters
met Vyachorka when he was released from the Okrestina detention
center. According to the released politician, 200 opposition
activists were being held in the jail.
13. Senior Deputy of Milinkevich Campaign Team Beaten
On March 23, deputy chief of Milinkevich's campaign team Viktor
Korniyenko informed reporters that he was severely beaten by
two unidentified men near his home. According to a Milinkevich
spokesperson, two "sturdy" men knocked Korniyenko to the ground
and kicked him repeatedly and beat him with a stick until he
lost consciousness. The spokesperson linked the attack to
Korniyenko's political activities.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
14. CEC Head Yermoshina on opposition candidates after they
refused to recognize the official election results and gathered
on October Square:
"It is necessary to lose decently, especially for men...law-
enforcement agencies performed admirably and demonstration
participants were dispersed by nature, snow, and the lack of an
idea and strong leaders."
KROL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: Minsk Election Weekly XIV (March 18-March 24)
1. This is the fourteenth in a weekly series of election-
oriented reports, providing brief items of interest related to
the March 19 presidential elections.
--------------
Election Results
--------------
2. CEC Gives Final Results
On March 23, CEC Head Lidiya Yermoshina described Lukashenko's
election campaign as "brilliant" after announcing that the
president won 83 percent of the vote. Milinkevich received
only 6.1 percent of the votes, followed by Gaidukevich and
Kozulin, who received 3.5 and 2.2 respectively. According to
Yermoshina, approximately 5.5 million people voted for
Lukashenko, which is 800,000 more than in 2001. Ninety-three
percent of registered voters, or 6,614,998 people, voted in
this year's elections. Yermoshina linked the high turnout to
"vigorous propaganda" against the GOB and the people's "robust"
response.
3. Prosecutor Says Elections Democratic
The Prosecutor General's Office on March 21 announced that the
March 19 presidential elections were democratic and conducted
on "the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage." The
Prosecutor General's Office claimed to have received 300
complaints of electoral law abuses during the signature
campaign including the "illegal" distribution of campaign
materials. Police seized over 1,200 "illegally" printed
newspapers and pamphlets. Prosecutors brought misdemeanor
charges against 25 people for electoral law violations and
opened a criminal case into alleged forged signatures
supporting Kozulin.
4. Russian Party Leader Questions Official Election Results
At a March 20 news conference in Minsk, Leader of Russia's
Liberal Union of Right Forces (SPS) Nikita Belykh contested the
official Belarusian presidential election results. According
to Belykh, at polling station number 20, only 726 ballots were
distributed, but 759 people still managed to vote. Deputy
Chairman of the United Civic Party Aleksandr Dobrovolsky said
that a member of the election commission at polling station 20
insisted he had counted 208 votes for Milinkevich, but the
official tally resulted in only 150 votes for the independent
candidate. Independent observation coordinator Vladimir
Sekerko told independent news source Belapan that at nine
polling stations in Gomel, 2,472 people allegedly voted.
However, when the results were announced, 149 extra votes
appeared.
5. CIS Declares Elections Free and Transparent
On March 20, CIS observation mission head Vladimir Rushailo
declared Belarus' presidential elections were "free, open, and
transparent." Rushailo reported several minor flaws in the
election, particularly polling booths that were too narrow and
voters in a few districts had the wrong addresses of polling
stations. Rushailo also complained that poll workers had
refused to provide information about the number of people who
had voted early. However, Rushailo said the election went
smoothly despite "unprecedented external pressure," such as
"biased" statements, harsh opinions, and warnings about
political and economic sanctions.
6. Russian MP Slams Election Results
Russia's liberal MP Vladimir Ryzhkov on March 19 called
Belarus' early voting process "strange" and claimed no country
in the world had 25 - 30 percent turnouts during early voting.
Ryzhkov called the process "dubious" because it provided
opportunities for ballot stuffing and forcing people to vote
for a particular candidate. Later on March 20, Ryzhkov slammed
the elections as undemocratic and illegitimate and lashed out
at authorities for arresting Lukashenko opponents.
--------------
Exit Polls
--------------
7. Russia Polling Service Denies Exit Polls In Belarus
On March 20, Russian polling service Levada denied conducting
exit polls during Belarus' presidential elections. According
to a Levada spokesperson, Levada unsuccessfully applied for
accreditation to conduct exit polls and tried to conduct a
telephone survey, but failed as many respondents refused to
reply. Levada's statement came after Milinkevich campaign
manager Sergei Kalyakin told a crowd of supporters at October
Square on March 19 that according to Levada's exit polls,
Lukashenko had 47 percent of the vote and Milinkevich had 30
percent.
--------------
Congratulations
--------------
8. Putin Congratulates Lukashenko
Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 20 sent a telegram of
congratulations to Lukashenko. "The outcome of the election
testifies to the confidence of voters in the policy that you
are implementing to ensure the further rise in the Belarusian
people's well-being....I am convinced that thanks to joint
efforts, we will manage to really advance on the path of the
formation of the Union State and ensure the irreversible
development of our countries." Lukashenko also received
congratulations from Fidel Castro, Syrian leader Bashar al-
Assad, and former president of Kyrgyztan Askar Akayev.
--------------
Repression and Harassment
--------------
9. Ukrainian Youth Deported
Seven members of the Ukrainian youth movement National Alliance
on March 20 were deported. The activists were arrested on
March 19 after the October Square rally.
10. Websites Blocked
According to independent news source Belapan, authorities on
March 19 used a process called traffic shaping to block access
to several Belarusian websites. Traffic shaping is a procedure
to reduce volume traffic and cannot be easily countered.
Authorities denied the claims and said the websites' problems
were due to too many users on the system at once.
11. Customs Seize Money From Activists
On March 21, custom officers seized USD 1,000 from two
opposition activists as they were traveling from Ukraine to
Belarus. Svyatoslav Shalamov from Gomel and Aleksei Kupreyev
from Mogilev were held for four hours at the border crossing
while custom officers examined their passports and searched
their possessions without providing an explanation. The
officers seized USD 400 from Kupreyev and USD 700 from Shalamov
on the grounds that the money was counterfeit. Shalamov plans
to file a complaint. The activists observed the 2004
Parliamentary elections and referendum as members of the
unregistered group Partnership.
12. Vyachorka Released From Jail
On March 23, authorities released leader of the Belarusian
Popular Front (BPF) and senior Milinkevich campaign member
Vintsuk Vyachorka from jail after serving a 15-day sentence for
organizing and participating in a March 8 Milinkevich meeting
with voters. Relatives, reporters, and opposition supporters
met Vyachorka when he was released from the Okrestina detention
center. According to the released politician, 200 opposition
activists were being held in the jail.
13. Senior Deputy of Milinkevich Campaign Team Beaten
On March 23, deputy chief of Milinkevich's campaign team Viktor
Korniyenko informed reporters that he was severely beaten by
two unidentified men near his home. According to a Milinkevich
spokesperson, two "sturdy" men knocked Korniyenko to the ground
and kicked him repeatedly and beat him with a stick until he
lost consciousness. The spokesperson linked the attack to
Korniyenko's political activities.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
14. CEC Head Yermoshina on opposition candidates after they
refused to recognize the official election results and gathered
on October Square:
"It is necessary to lose decently, especially for men...law-
enforcement agencies performed admirably and demonstration
participants were dispersed by nature, snow, and the lack of an
idea and strong leaders."
KROL