BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

03/04/2006

Belarus sets date for swearing in

Alexander Lukashenko is to be sworn in for his third term as president of Belarus on Saturday, after winning the recent disputed elections.

He had been due to be inaugurated on 31 March, but the ceremony was postponed for reasons not made public.

The 19 March election results were widely condemned as fraudulent by the opposition and by Western observers.

Opposition leaders, who led protests after the elections, want a fresh vote - without Mr Lukashenko as a candidate.

The president, who Washington calls "Europe's last dictator", has kept a low profile since the elections and widespread international condemnation.

Hundreds of opposition protesters, including a runner-up candidate, have been jailed for taking part in protests after the results were announced.

The US and EU have agreed to impose sanctions on Belarus, which will probably include a travel ban against Mr Lukashenko, who has been president for more than a decade.

Belarus insists Mr Lukashenko's win was fair.

Source:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4872108.stm

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