Lukashenko In the Lead

Continuing Update on top...
~Older posts: (scroll down) Descend to 3/19-
No sign of shaking authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko...
Despite the freezing cold, Belarussian opposition continues to protest,
in downtown Minsk...
~Those linked as post-election detail- (March 20th to 22nd)
~Gatewaypundit, and more at: instapundit.~~~~~~~~~~~~Update: The Belarusians and international community, cry out...With assorted violations, election turnout: ...At some polls, over 100%! -Lukashenko's election determined to be: -Voter Fraud-Foreign Editorial Opinion: 3/ 21/06 (Excerpts of 36 reports from 12 countries)October 18 - 22, 2004-
Note: OPINION: The Lukashenko Administration, which is known for its strict attitudes, is expected to make a bloody operation against the rebellions.~~~~~~~~~
[Putin says election, "Was not fraudulent."]
~Click image or link -VIEW VIDEO:
Global Security
Munich (10/19): "Apart from the three Baltic countries, none of the former Soviet republics has become a democratic state. The rule is that those who seized power in the former Soviet Union are not giving up voluntarily"...

Berliner Zeitung: (10/19): "To give up the policy of critical dialogue would mean that we do not hold Lukashenko responsible for respecting democratic standards."

Italy: (10/19) "Belarusians fear a bloodbath...In a protest on the outskirts of Minsk, at least 70,000 people will reportedly speak out against the vote rigging and will ask for freedom and the dictator's destitution."

Switzerland: (10/19) "We can't ignore what is happening to the brotherly people or let the regime that puts its political opponents behind bars and shuts down universities grow stronger."

AUSTRIA:(10/19) "The Western world is simply at a loss. But about 10 million people of Belarus will apparently have to live in a state of autocratic bondage."~~~~~~~~~~~ Live blog: -10/19- a.m. UPDATE: Standing in the freezing weather... Citizens denied access to Belarus, risk everything to show their solidarity...In support of Freedom and Democracy! Protestor Wears mask of dictatorView-VIDEO"We don't want anymore iron curtain in Europe!"~~~~~~~~~
"Belarusian students await the results of their vote."
NOTE: Lukashenko's popularity seated mostly within
those elder of the population, and those
who watched him rise to power.(Below)
MINSK, March 19 (RIA Novosti) When asked what he thought about being called “Europe’s last dictator”, Lukashenko said, “A dictatorship in the middle of Europe is impossible. Those who say so are stupid people.”~~~~~~~Polls opened in Belarus on Sunday in a presidential election where President Alexander Lukashenko seeks re-election against a liberal opposition who vow to contest any attempt to rig the polls, Reuters reported.

Worried about promises by students to stage protests on election day, the KGB - Lukashenko has retained the Soviet acronym for his secret service - has threatened to treat demonstrators as terrorists, an offence with a 15-year jail sentence. The mass of police seen on the streets have orders not to stand for any demonstrations~~~~~~~~~~~~~Opposition candidate Alexander Milinkevich, the Social Democratic Party's Alexander Kozulin and Sergei Gaidukevich, of the Liberal Democratic Party, are running for election along with Lukashenko, the nation's president for the past 12 years.
According to Belarus' Central Electoral Commission, 6,626 polling stations have been set up for 7,020,000 registered eligible voters in the country and abroad. The vote is being monitored by more than 30,000 domestic and 1,300 foreign observers.
The election will be deemed valid if voter turnout exceeds 50%. The candidate for whom more than 50% of the ballots are cast will be declared the winner.
Voting will continue till 8 pm local time (6 pm GMT). Preliminary results are expected to be released in the early hours of Monday.~~~~~~~~~~~The United States and European Union accuse Lukashenko of crushing dissent and muzzling the media. They have suggested they may toughen sanctions on him if -- as his critics predict -- the presidential vote proves neither free nor fair....read more~~~~~~~~~~Rick Moran hosts.....
Carnival of the Clueless #37!"“WHAT WOULD AN ARMY OF DAVIDS DO?” EDITION"~~~~~~~~~Articles of Interest: Basil~~~~~~~~Greyhawk at: mudvillegazette~~~~~~~~ Forwardbiased hosts:
Carnival of Liberty XXXVII!~~~~~Tags: voters | Belarus | solidarity