Lukashenko's ex-chief of staff presses for compromise between political forces in run-up to presidential election

2001-03-20 23:25:00

Minsk, 20 March. Leonid Sinitsyn, President Aleksandr Lukashenko's former chief of staff, said on March 20 he was ready to collect voter signatures to a petition urging international organizations to recognize a House of Representatives resolution setting the date of Belarus' upcoming presidential elections. The resolution must be the result of a compromise between the country's political forces in the run-up to the elections, Mr. Sinitsyn told seven Representatives at a meeting organized by Aleksei Vaganov, chairman of the lower house Committee on Monetary-Credit Policy and Banking. Mr. Sinitsyn said the recognition of the resolution would mean the international recognition of Belarus' president, cabinet and entire executive branch, as well as parliament and judiciary. "The current parliament has a chance to restore peace in society," he said. Mr. Sinitsyn pointed out that the House of Representatives should work on the resolution without fear of being dissolved by the President. Under Article 94 of the Constitution, Parliament cannot be disbanded until one year after its first plenary session. Mr. Sinitsyn reentered the political scene in early March, putting forward his version of the resolution. Mr. Sinitsyn's draft suggests setting the election for July 15, warns government officials against interfering in the election and calls on the government to create conditions for pre-election rallies and bring Belarus' legislation into line with OSCE recommendations.