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Top election official explains controversy over Lukashenka's nomination group application

Lidziya Yarmoshyna, head of the central election commission, confirmed on Tuesday that reporters could not see Education Minister Alyaksandr Radzkow enter the commission's office on September 24 to submit Alyaksandr Lukashenka's application for the registration of his nomination group, as quoted by BelaPAN.

Speaking at a news conference, Ms. Yarmoshyna said that the minister had walked directly into her office and she had personally accepted the papers.

The education ministry and the central election commission share a building in central Minsk.

"After the documents were submitted to me, they were sent to the office receiving applications from the public and registered along with the other sets of documents that were submitted on the same day. So there's no intrigue, everything is very simple," she said.

Ms. Yarmoshyna noted that the central election commission would provide each candidate with more than $25,000 in extra campaigning funds. "Apart from this, let's not forget about the huge financial aid that the state offers them in the form of free airtime and free newspaper space," she said.

The official promised that the central election commission would have a liberal attitude toward presidential contenders' campaign to collect ballot-access signatures.

"There's a constitutional requirement whereby a person may become a presidential candidate if he is supported by at least 100,000 voters. That's why even if they are short of just 10 or 20 signatures, we can't do anything and the person will be denied registration as a candidate. But if there are other violations - those that are not mentioned in the constitution, we will be as much liberal as possible with respect to contenders. We seek to secure competitive elections so that the voter may have a real opportunity to choose," Ms. Yarmoshyna said.

The official pledged that the central election commission would take efforts to secure favorable conditions for nomination groups' work at the signature collection stage. "And if some presidential hopefuls approach us over some restrictions, obstacles to the operation of their nomination groups, the central election commission will take a very active stance, intervene and help the groups and contenders so that the latter can make the ballot," she said.