MPs comment on results of All-Belarusian People's Assembly

1996-10-21 16:50

Minsk, 21 October. A group of MPs representing various parliamentary factions and committees held a news conference to share their opinions about the All-Belarusian People's Assembly with journalists. Among the MPs there were Pyotr Krawchanka, Tamara Manukova, Alena Skryhan and Viktar Khomich, who had made attempts to attend the Assembly but been barred from that.
Pyotr Krawchanka, defined Alyaksandr Lukashenka's consent to holding the referendum for November 24 as his "return into the limits of legislation." In his opinion, that move was very timely because if he had proposed November 7, most delegates would have welcomed this. Ms. Skryhan stressed that the president's consent to holding the referendum on November 24 should not be regarded as a compromise.
Almost all speakers at the news conference pointed out that there was evidence that delegates to the Assembly had not been elected but in fact appointed, and that some control over the speeches at the Assembly had made itself felt.
As for those speeches, the MPs singled out that made by Prime Minister Mikhail Chyhir. In their opinion, it was rather bold. As Volha Abramava said, Mr. Chyhir "in fact opposed the general policy at the Assembly in a tactful and soft manner so characteristic of him." They also welcomed the courage of the 11 delegates who voted against the Assembly's resolution and 47 delegates who abstained from voting.
Mechyslaw Hryb said that, from a legal viewpoint, the All-Belarusian People's Assembly and its decisions could not be regarded as unlawful. However, the constitutional amendments proposed by both the President and Parliament are in fact "new constitutions."