the Last remaining free-ranked opponent of Alexander Lukashenko on presidential elections of Belarus Valery Tsepkalo may face criminal prosecution. The interior Ministry of Belarus said that, ctfo they received materials about the facts of “illegal activities” of the candidate and they started checking.
As stated the press-Secretary of the Ministry of internal Affairs of Belarus Olga Chemodanova, the statement of a candidate to the Supervisory authority came from the people of Turkey, its essence is not disclosed. On this fact conducted preliminary examination. At the headquarters Tsepkalo told “MK” that while this information does not comment.
edition of the “Sputnik Belarus” with reference to Telegram-TV reports that a statement on Tsepkalo was written by the owner of construction companies that participated in the construction of high technologies Park.
In may, a Turkish businessman AES Sedai and Warders Ideji living in Belarus, said that he was a contractor not only when you create the OEM, but also built a personal house Tsepkalo. While he was not paid for design services and construction. Then the candidate said that on this issue there is already a judgment which Ideji not contested. He was forbidden to build due to numerous violations. For all objects where the involved contractor, continue dozens of trials.
However, the Belarusian political analyst Dmitry Bolkunets believes that Tsepkalo may be behind bars. “This case seven years ago. That is, seven years Ideji suffered and now decided I needed to make a statement. This is a deliberate stuffing to Tsepkalo was scared, he left Belarus and withdrew from the elections. But apparently he will not do this. And I do not exclude that at some time he will be with Victor Babariko in the detention unit of the KGB”, – the expert believes.
According to him, Babariko and Tsepkalo will not be registered as candidates for the presidency. Indeed, on June 29 the district election Commission all day checked the submitted candidates in the presidential candidates signed. And there came many messages that signatures for Victor Babariko and Valery Tsepkalo is repealed.
for Example, in the Frunze district of Minsk from both candidates rejected at all all the signature. “The signatures declared invalid, the Declaration will find the extra comma, the candidates will expose a dangerous criminal and the criminals will claim that it is more expedient to keep them in a cage”, – said the analyst. He noted that in the case that Tsepkalo will be arrested, it will cause an international scandal, because he was the Ambassador of Belarus in the United States. “I think over the years in America had left him with friends in politics who can give their word.”
in Total, the CEC handed over the signatures of 7 members: the current President Alexander Lukashenko, the former head of Belgazprombank��and Victor Babariko, former head of the high-tech Park Valery Tsepkalo, the wife of blogger Sergei Tikhanovski Svetlana, former MP Anna Konopacka, co-Chairman of public Association “Tell the truth” Andrey Dmitriev and the Chairman of the Belarusian social-democratic “Hramada” Sergey Cerecer.
In social networks, citizens of Belarus have called the campaign a “farce” and think that the candidates should withdraw from the elections in protest. “If You are not a spoiler, people waiting for the reaction to record the main opponents. The withdrawal from the election,” write the users of social networks on the page of Andrei Dmitriev.
the Head of the public Association “Tell the truth” Tatsiana Karatkevich explained “MK”, why it doesn’t work. “Yes, we see the reaction of people. Authorities address the most popular competitors. This is done so that people finally lost interest in the elections. They are trying to suppress a healthy civic engagement that now exists.
the Idea is just to refuse participation in elections does not work, because in any case it will be removed not all candidates. Elections will be held, even if there are two candidates. We just give the victory if we turn to the tactics of the blacklist. I say “ignore,” because in our country the law prohibits the boycott, and to any person who calls to it, can impose penalties,” – said Karatkevich.
According to her, today changes in the country can be achieved not so much through the actions of politicians, but the activity of the citizens themselves. “Elections are trying to decapitate, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up. For 25 years we had many excellent candidates, and it is now clear that the fate of this process depends on every citizen. They can put one person, but they can not jail all of the people.
In the case that the candidate of “Tell the truth” Andrey Dmitriev is registered, it will provide an alternative. Our position in this matter remained unchanged for many years. In addition, it is a chance to campaign, because if you’re not a candidate, then do not. The government will be only too happy to hold the elections without the people. They will draw any turnout and the result. In past years the turnout was low, but they held. It’s not working. Not to go on elections – to make a gift to the authorities, on the contrary, we have to fix their distrust of the political system.
Now we also worried about registration. We filed a little more than 100 thousand signatures, and, if some of them are declared invalid, our ability to work with the community will be limited. Many members of initiative groups under pressure from the authorities. And people who reveal themselves, easily removed from the race and limit their freedom. Are today’s realities.”
