[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 94 (Tuesday, July 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN BELARUS

 Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, the 1990 Copenhagen document of 
the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe states that ``The 
will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and 
genuine elections, is the basis of authority and legitimacy of all 
government.''
  As chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 
the agency mandated by Congress to monitor implementation of the 
decisions of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I 
would like to inform my colleagues about the recent Presidential 
election held in Belarus. This is particularly important because these 
are the first Presidential elections held in Belarus since that country 
became independent in 1991.
  As part of the mandate of the Commission on Security and Cooperation 
in Europe, the Ccommission sent two staff members to observe the 
elections and gain insight on the current political situation in 
Belarus. The report resulting from that visit will be available to the 
Members of this body shortly.
  There were six candidates running in the first round of the 
elections. They were: Prime Minister Vyacheslau Kebich; former Supreme 
Soviet (Parliament), Chairman Stanislau Shushkevich; the chairman of 
the Union of Collective Farms, Aleksandr Dubko; former head of the 
parliament's anti-corruption committee, Aleksandr Lukashenka; chairman 
of the Belarusian popular front Zenon Poznyak; and Belarusian Communist 
Party Chairman Vasily Novikau.
  I regret to note that during the campaign, the government attempted 
to put one newspaper, Svoboda, out of business, canceled two unfriendly 
programs on the state radio network, and dropped air time for an 
independent television network that had been critical of the Kebich 
administration. Even the Soros foundation, a nonpartisan organization 
that promotes development of an open society, had been criticized by 
government authorities for allegedly promoting foreign values.
  At the end of the first round of voting, Mr. Lukashenka totaled a 
surprising 45 percent of the total. Mr. Kebich, whom earlier polls had 
shown running about even with Mr. Lukashenka, came in second with an 
unexpectedly low 17 percent. Mr. Pozniak, who had been painted by his 
opponents as an extreme nationalist, overcame his earlier single-digit 
polling figures, and showed a respectable third with 12 percent.
  In the second round of voting between Mr. Lukashenka and Mr. Kebich, 
Mr. Lukashenka cemented his victory with an 80 percent showing to 
around 14 percent for Mr. Kebich. The Prime Minister of Russia, Mr. 
Chernomyrdin, had visited Minsk before the runoffs, to help boost Mr. 
Kebich's chances, but obviously with little effect.
  When all was said and done, the people of Belarus said they were 
tired of business as usual, and were willing to try something new. Mr. 
Lukashenka will have his work cut out for him. His Prime Minister and 
Ministry appointments will have to be approved by a heretofore hostile 
parliament. Administrative Fiat and imprecations against corruption 
will not reinvigorate the economy, nor will control over the media and 
resorting to antidemocratic methods will solve problems, but just 
exacerbate them.
  A strong supporter of close cooperation with Russia, Mr. Lukashenka 
reportedly intends to press for the monetary union with Russia promoted 
by his predecessor. However, doubts about this proposal have been 
raised of late in both Minsk and Moscow, so the future of the monetary 
union remains to be seen. Besides, as one observer in Minsk expressed 
it, Mr. Lukashenka may decide that he'd rather take his economic 
reports to Brussels than to Moscow.
  In any event, the people of Belarus have made their choice. We 
certainly wish them and their new leader well, as Belarus continues its 
difficult journey toward economic recovery, political plurality, and a 
respected place in the European community.

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