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Addresses calling for boycott will not be broadcast, election official says

Addresses to voters in which parliamentary candidates call for boycotting the forthcoming House of Representatives elections will not be broadcast, Mikalay Lazavik, secretary of the central election commission, told BelaPAN.

"Television and radio companies made inquiries to the central election commission as to what to do with the addresses in which candidates call for boycotting the elections," Mr. Lazavik said. "We thoroughly examined the issue together with lawyers… and ultimately concluded that electoral regulations do not provide for granting free airtime for calls for an election boycott.”

Under the Electoral Code, free airtime may be provided to candidates only for the purpose of electioneering, which is defined as activities aimed at encouraging people to vote for or against a certain candidate or candidates, he said.

"You're welcome to campaign for Ivanow, for Pyatrow, against Sidaraw and against Yakawlew, but you're not allowed to campaign against a state event called 'elections,'" Mr. Lazavik said. "The government spends an enormous amount of money to finance it."

Mr. Lazavik stressed that Belarusian regulations do not prohibit campaigning for a boycott of elections. "You may call for a boycott, but not at the government's expense," he said.

The broadcasting of pre-recorded five-minute addresses by parliamentary candidates began on August 27 and will last through September 14.