In Belarus started voting in the presidential election – RBC

Agitation stand candidate for the presidency of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk

Photo: RIA Novosti

In Belarus started voting in the presidential elections, polling stations opened at 8:00 am. Besides incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, who has moved to the fifth term on the ballot appear three candidates: the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus Sergei Gaydukevich, leader of the Belarusian Patriotic Party Nikolay Ulakhovich and activist of the campaign “Tell the Truth!” Tatiana Karatkevich.

The voting will end at 20:00, and then begin counting. The voting lists included more than 6.9 million voters. Early voting began Oct. 6, according to the Central Election Commission of Belarus, October 10 was attended by more than 36% of voters.

Earlier, on October 7 the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko said that he wanted to blanch with a score of 80%. “There will come to the polls 40%. Well, or 50%, less than half the we should not be. Well, 50% will come and 1 vote, and vote for him out there somewhere half. Behind will be only 25% of the population who will vote for him. And he will negotiate later? On the other heads of state? “- Lukashenka said.

« If the president is strong, as you have always supported me – 80%! No one even questions were not. If I go and am negotiating, he understands that 80% voted for it, all the people behind him, so he expresses his interests “, – said the President.

Lukashenka was elected for the presidency in 1994, 2001, 2006 and 2010. Lukashenko won the last elections, received, according to official data, 79.65% of the vote. The voting results were not recognized by the rest of the presidential candidates, as well as the United States and the European Union.

October 9 Reuters, citing diplomatic sources reported that Brussels may be a four-month suspended sanctions against Lukashenko and Belarus, and the solution It can be made for 12 of October. One of the sources, Reuters said that the decision on the lifting of sanctions will be taken, depending on how you will be scheduled for October 11 presidential elections. “The European Union must respond to the release of political prisoners,” – said the official.

Reuters sources clarified that the sanctions that apply to Lukashenko and 140 citizens of Belarus, will be suspended from the end of October until the end of February. This will allow persons involved in the sanctions list of the EU to freely move their money into European banks and to enter the EU. Sanctions may be resumed in the event that the EU finds new violations of human rights in Belarus.

On the eve of voting on Saturday in Minsk, a march of opposition: more than a thousand people marched through the center of the capital, demanding the resignation of President Lukashenko and free elections without fraud. Such a mass protest rally was held for the first time after the dissolution of a street demonstration on the day of the last presidential election of December 19, 2010.

Then, hundreds of activists have been arrested and dozens have gone through trials and received sentences.