Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

Who Benefits from Elections to be Held on December 19?

news portal www.UDF.BY

The House of Representatives scheduled the elections of the President of Belarus for December 19. According to UDF leaders, the authorities decided to conduct the election campaign before the aggravation of the economic problems. Will the opposition have time to prepare for the elections?

As Vintsuk Vyachorka said to a correspondent of the news portal www.UDF.BY, scheduling of elections for December 19 was predictable. Postponing the elections is not to the advantage of the authorities, the politician believes, as in late December they will have to address issues with Russia on energy contracts. In addition, each year the degree of protest in the Belarusian society is growing.

But democratic forces who have been facing the attack on their unity for two years, however, need time to unite, said Mr. Vyachorka. "In this regard a question to democratic leaders arises, to what extent are they able to abandon their own ambitions to achieve the main goal", the politician said.

The chairman of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka, by contrast, believes that the election date does not matter for the democratic opposition. "If we make a choice between winter and summer, then summer would be preferable: it's better to put tents", the politician joked. "But it does not matter in which winter month the elections will take place."

According to the UCP leader, the potential of the opposition has been gained over the years, which means that people with experience can start working at any time. "But for the authorities the date is important", said A. Lyabedzka. "The faster they go through the election campaign, the better for them. Next year, in more difficult economic conditions, it would be more difficult to campaign. Although even now, while setting the date of the elections, the authorities had to make a choice between bad and worst options", said the politician.