Members of Civic Action group comment on political situation in Belarus

1996-10-25 14:20

Minsk, 25 October. Stanislaw Bahdankevich, leader of the Civic Action parliamentary group, Vasil Shlyndzikaw and Anatoly Lyabedzka, members of the group, held a news conference on October 25 to comment of the results of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly and the political situation in the country.
Dr. Bahdankevich defined Mr. Lukashenka's consent to holding the referendum for November 24, as proposed by the Supreme Soviet, as his "first defeat."
Speakers at the news conference disapproved of the unilateral withdrawal of the draft constitution proposed by the factions of Agrarians and Communists. Mr. Lyabedzka said that the proposal, which he had made on behalf of 52 MPs and which had been entered on the agenda of the current parliamentary session, to put to the referendum only the socially orientated part of the president's draft constitution would be the "third and the best choice for Parliament."
Dr. Bahdankevich and Mr. Lyabedzka believe that the referendum will be held on November 24. Nevertheless, the Supreme Soviet will make its final decision as regards the date of the referendum only after the Constitutional Court examines the constitutional changes proposed by the president and lawmakers. If the Court finds that the constitutional changes proposed by both the president and MPs may not be put to a referendum, the Communists and Agrarians will withdraw their draft constitution. "If the President disregards the Constitutional Court's decision, the law-abiding central election commission will convert it into a fact," Dr. Bahdankevich said.
The period during which the president promised to make public the constitutional changes proposed by him and altered in view of a special commission's conclusions expired on October 25. As Dr. Bahdankevich said, if the changes are published on November 5 or 6, the Supreme Soviet may schedule the referendum for November 24 even in violation of laws in order "not to heat up confrontation with the president." However, the Supreme Soviet is to make its final decision after the November 1 session of the Constitutional Court.