State Duma deputy, member of United Russia party, Sergei Markov, stated the Kremlin might not to recognize the results of voting at the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus for the first time in history. According to the politician, Russia is likely to take such a decision if the conflict between Minsk and Moscow continues.
Russia will not intervene directly in the election campaign and support Belarusian opposition, the head of Belarusian department of the Institute of the CIS, Alexander Fadeev, considers in his turn. Nevertheless, according to him if the conflict outcome is not in favor of the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, Russia may pay attention to inadequate voting compliance with democratic norms. «It is to be a big blow on Lukashenko», Alexander Fadeev said.
According to the expert, current elections are complicated for Belarusian president by the lack of support from Russian authorities, who «are tired of Lukashenko». «Russia’s position may mobilize non-system opposition, those, who are dissatisfied with economic policy of Lukashenko», Alexander Fadeev added.
The Belarusian opposition has already taken up the issue of NTV scandalous movies about the disappearance of political opponents of Alexander Lukashenko, Russian Vedomosti informs. Moreover, according to the poll of Baltic Surveys, every one of seven Belarusians watched NTV movies banned in Belarus, every one of three knows its content. «It gives a chance that support of opposition at elections will be considerably higher than today’s 25-30%», the United Civil Party leader, Anatoly Lebedko, stated.
However, according to Minsk political analyst, Valery Karbalevich, the polls show that the majority of Belarusians do not believe the movie, and the reduction of current president’s rating is much more influenced by the plight of the country’s economy.
