Presidential election 2015 in Belarus
Oleg Gaidukevich: Lukashenko won Belarus’ presidential vote in first round
MINSK, 14 October (BelTA) – Alexander Lukashenko scored a decisive victory in the first round of the presidential election, and there was no need for a run-off vote, First Deputy Chairman of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Belarus Oleg Gaidukevich told journalists on 14 October, BelTA has learned.
“Lukashenko won the election in the first round with the officially announced number of electoral votes. We have no doubt about this,” Oleg Gaidukevich said.
“We congratulate the incumbent president on his convincing victory. We believe all the candidates should have congratulated Alexander Lukashenko as it is ridiculous to call his victory into question. He indeed won the election. Our observers confirm this,” Oleg Gaidukevich noted.
“Lukashenko is the strongest politician in the country. This is why people vote for him. However, this does not mean that there are no other politicians,” he added.
Oleg Gaidukevich said that the electoral campaign was calm. The candidates avoided making sharp comments about their rivals. “That was, probably, the first time that the candidates did not cross this line,” he pointed out. Besides, none of the candidates used radical rhetoric. “I believe the recent presidential election set an example for political debates in the country,” the politician added.
Oleg Gaidukevich stressed that the discussion of the ways for the country's development should be continued in the parliament. “We are convinced that the main political struggle for the future of Belarus will take place in 2016 during the parliamentary elections,” he believes.
As for the results achieved by leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Belarus Sergei Gaidukevich in the Belarus president election, Oleg Gaidukevich noted: “We do not care much for the number of votes our candidate received. The development of our country is what really matters.” He added that a part of the electorate of the Liberal-Democratic Party voted for Alexander Lukashenko. He believes their decision was affected by “the Ukraine factor” and the economic factor. “People are afraid that
other candidates will fail to keep the situation under control,” Oleg Gaidukevich said.In his words, each presidential candidate was given a kind of carte blanche. He also said that the Liberal-Democratic Party does not exclude the possibility that it may help other former candidates during the elections to Belarus’ House of Representatives scheduled for 2016. Moreover, the party is ready to withdraw its candidates in favor of potential partners from constructive opposition. This relates only to representatives of moderate opposition groups. The party will not cooperate with radical opposition, Oleg Gaidukevich emphasized.
As for the 2016 parliamentary election, he noted that it is time to switch to the voting system of mixed-member proportional representation. “Even if it does not happen this time, sooner or later we will come to this system of voting,” Oleg Gaidukevich believes. His party has plans to submit a relevant letter to the current government.
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