Lazavik: If we go on being liberal, they will get out of hand!

In his interview to Euroradio the CEC Secretary has told about the contenders who acted "near miss", why not only the members of Lukashenka's nomination group were allowed to collect signatures for him, and has added he does not object if Nyaklyaeu provides transparent ballot boxes to all the electoral precincts.

The Central Election Commission plans to register candidates for President before the scheduled term, thus, the candidates can start campaigning for themselves earlier than November 24. However, the CEC will not be "liberal" at the second stage of the electoral campaign. This was said to Euroradio by the CEC Secretary Mikalaj Lazavik.

October 29 is the last day of collecting signatures for nomination of potential presidential contenders. As soon as all the signatures are submitted to election commissions, the Central Election Commission will decide who is worth getting the certificate of a candidate. The CEC Secretary Mikalaj Lazavik stated the commssion would try to check the signatures before the set date - November 24.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "If registration starts on November 14 and ends on November 23, we'll conduct a session approximately in the middle of this term. We are not interested in putting it off till the last day".

According to him, the CEC wants the candidates to have at least a month for campaigning. Moreover, he said although the commission had an opportunity to register the candidates one by one, they would register all of them at the same time.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "The Central Election Commission has the right to consider the documents of one contender, than another, and another. However, we haven't practiced that in order not to create unequal conditions. All the contenders should be equal, and this includes simultaneous start."

The first stage of the electoral campaign was marked with just one warning - the one for Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu's nomination group. According to Lazavik, there were violations committed by other contenders as well. However, those were "near miss". The Central Election Commission took the course on "being liberal" at these elections.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "Other potential contenders also committed some violations. However, we connive at these attempts to play "near miss".

The CEC really did connive at numerous violations committed by Aliaksandr Lukashenka's nomination group - they were accused that people who were not members of his group collected signatures for the current leader of the country. There was even a corresponding video in the Internet.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "I've seen these video materials. This case was considered at the session of Minsk city election commission. We gave explanations on that: an assistant of a nomination group member has a right to fill in the signature sheet, write surname, name, address and passport data, during collection of signatures".

As for all the complaints at the CEC, for example, to the General Public Prosecutor's Office, Lazavik considers them as revelation of political activity of a certain part of the society. However, he confessed he did not understand what could aggravate people whom Lidzia Yarmoshyna had refused in further correspondence with regard to the issue of illegality of registration of Aliaksandr Lukashenka's nomination group.

However, he added the Central Election Commission would not be as liberal as during the first stage of the electoral campaign any more.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "If we say we'll go on being liberal, they can get out of hand! And cross all the possible borders. Thus, the law is the law. If there is a conscious and rough neglect of requirements set by legislation, the CEC will react brutally".

As for provision of transparent ballot boxes to all the electoral precincts, Lazavik claimed the CEC had no money for that. However, if someone wants to render humanitary aid in this regard, it will be gladly accepted.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "We approve transparent ballot boxes but we don't force anyone to buy them. It is for an enterprise which deals with equipment of an electoral precinct to decide on that. We have no money for that in our budget. However, if Mr. Nyaklyaeu wants to install them at electoral precincts - let him do it. If he has so much money".

Euroradio has interested whether such event as presidential elections inspired Mikalaj Lazavik to write another poetic masterpiece.

Mikalaj Lazavik: "I write poems when there is a correspondent order. I am a professional poet, I don't write by inspiration. Inspiration does not appear because of wind blowing or sun shining from one side or another. I am pragmatic on that: order a poem and I'll write it".