English

Liberal Democratic Party brings forward its presidential nominating convention

A convention where the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will nominate its presidential contender has been brought forward to the spring of 2013, LDP Deputy Chairman Aleh Haydukevich told reporters in Minsk on Monday.

The convention was initially scheduled to take place in the fall of 2013, Mr. Haydukevich said. "We're changing the schedule of the presidential campaign," he said. "The convention will be held in spring. We have no time."

The campaign headquarters of the party's presidential contender are to be established by the end of next year and campaigning will begin in 2014, Mr. Haydukevich said.

"If someone thinks that he'll announce his bid half a year before the presidential election and will manage to do something, he is wrong," Mr. Haydukevich stressed. "No one will manage to do anything."

In addition, the Liberal Democratic Party plans to hold a large-scale demonstration in Bangalore Square in Minsk next year, he said. "We want to win the presidential election and will be doing everything to win," he stressed.

The 35-year-old Haydukevich, who served as chief of the Frunzenski district police station in Minsk between 2009 and August 2012, is known for his role in breaking up street protests and arresting opposition activists.

The Liberal Democratic Party is chaired by Aleh Haydukevich's father, Syarhey Haydukevich, a 58-year-old populist politician critical of both the government and opposition forces who is frequently accused of secret cooperation with Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Syarhey Haydukevich ran in Belarus' presidential elections in 2001 and 2006 but received only 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent of the vote, respectively, according to the central election commission. Mr. Haydukevich said in July that he would run for President in 2015 and win because Alyaksandr Lukashenka would not participate in the election. //BelaPAN