Belarusian Popular Front fears that referendum may be rigged

1996-10-22 13:25

Minsk, 22 October. The events that took place in Minsk last weekend were the subject of a news conference held at the headquarters of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) on October 21. Speaking about the main sensation of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly - the president's consent to holding the referendum on November 24, acting BPF Chairman Lyavon Barshchewski pointed out that the change of the referendum's date was not a "matter in principle for Lukashenka. The chief thing for him is to win in the referendum at any price. For this purpose, mass attempts to form the required public opinion and create opportunities to falsify the results of the referendum are being made." Mr. Barshchewski cited some facts which are evidence of this statement. For instance, in one of the districts in the Belarusian capital, voters' signatures were collected to the column "Issue of Ballots" in precinct election commissions' records under the guise of specification of voter registers. This information was given by MP Ivan Tsyareshka. "The greater part of falsifications," Mr. Barshchewski said, "will be possible thanks to the opportunity to vote using mobile ballot-boxes. The Supreme Soviet will hardly override the president's veto on the amendment repealing this procedure of voting, which has recently been introduced into the election law."
"In these conditions the main task of all BPF organizations is to establish control over the referendum's procedures. The Constitutional Court also must pronounce on this subject."
The BPF acting chairman dwelt at length on the All-Belarusian People's Assembly. "Unreliable delegates nominated by workers' collectives were passed through an administrative filter. The forum itself was held according to a scenario written beforehand," he said.
"We are not inclined to exaggerate the legitimacy of the Congress in Defense of the constitution either," he added. "The fact that it was held is very good, we supported this demonstration, but the level of its decisions' legitimacy is neither higher nor lower than that of the decisions taken at the All-Belarusian People's Assembly."
Speaking about the procession and rally held on October 19, Mr. Barshchewski emphasized the unprecedentedness of the measures taken by the authorities to prevent them. According to him, at some secondary schools and technical colleges, students were not let out after studies were completed. At some higher educational institutions the morning lectures were postponed to the lunch-time. The BPF leaders admitted that some people had been scared away by the horrific prognoses which were published by the media. "Our certitude that there would be no skirmishes was one hundred percent," Mr. Barshchewski said. "We had outlined a reserve itinerary for the column to follow. Public law and order were maintained by over 200 members of the BPF public order squad. They prevented several attempts of provocations in the crowd and handed some provokers to the police. Members of Ukraine's extremist organization UNA/UNSO - there was some talk that they had arrived in Minsk - did not take part in the rally and the procession. Information that during the rally, cold steel pieces were distributed, and that people were offered vodka there was defined at the news conference as usual slander.