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Setting presidential election for December 19 was “predictable surprise,” top election official says

The House of Representatives’ decision to set a presidential election for December 19, 2010 was a “predictable surprise,” Lidziya Yarmoshyna, chair of the central election commission, told reporters on Tuesday, as quoted by BelaPAN.

"December is a good month for holding elections," she said, adding that the authorities had also considered calling the vote for December 12 and February 6.

Ms. Yarmoshyna announced that if needed, the second round of the elections could be held one week after the first round, on December 26, Ms. Yarmoshyna said.

According to her, 37 billion rubels ($12.3 million) is earmarked in the 2010 state budget for conducting the election. “We knew perfectly well that the election campaign would begin no later than November 6,” she said. “Even if the election had been called for February 6, we would take most of the funds out of this year’s budget.”

Under the constitution’s Article 56, a presidential election shall be called by the House of Representatives. The election date shall be set no later than five months and the election shall be conducted no later than two months before the end of the incumbent president's term.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka's term expires on April 6, 2011.