Presidential Vertical Begins Agitation in Support of Referendum

RFE/RL

Aliaksandr Lukashenka ordered to establish propagandist groups from members of the “vertical”. The republican group, headed by the vice-speaker of the Parliament Uladzimir Siamashka, consists of 18 persons. In Minsk City Executive Committee there are five such groups, according to the number of vice-heads of the committee. 46 more groups were established in district administrations. Each of them includes 10-15 heads of vertical services, departments and boards. All these groups received special compilations of materials for agitation concerning referendum and the election into the Chamber of Representatives of the Republic of Belarus, elaborated by the institute of social and political studies of presidential administration. The referendum compilation consists of 28 pages. On 23 September Minsk propagandists will begin their agitation in working collectives. The referendum compilation includes the history of referendums and the results of the country’s development for the 10 years of Lukashenka’s rule – what the propaganda needs and can say to people. In the conclusive article is even said that the prolongation of Lukashenka’s rule is the result of the “favorable political, social and economical situation” he created.

The compilation for the parliamentary election contains concrete tasks for the ideological vertical and the executive authorities: it is necessary to turn the attention of the electorate at such negative qualities of the opposition as populism, financial dependence from the secret services of western countries and aspiration to conduct the politics that is extraneous to the people, provocative essence of the methods used, etc.

Ales Dashchynski, RFE/RL