BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/04/2006

Belarus's Lukashenko proposes same PM in new term

By Andrei Makhovsky

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko proposed retaining his prime minister on Thursday, evidence that he has no intention of altering policies that have spawned protests at home and fierce criticism in the West.

Lukashenko was inaugurated amid great pomp last week following his re-election to a third term. Western countries have long accused him of crushing all dissent and dismissed the election as blatantly rigged.

"The head of state has submitted to the chamber of representatives a proposal to appoint Sergei Sidorsky as Belarussian prime minister," Lukashenko's press service said.

Under Belarus's constitution, the government in office must submit its resignation following the election of a president, who is empowered to dissolve the chamber if it rejects his proposed prime minister twice in a row.

But a senior member of Belarus's parliament, where the opposition has no seats, made clear that would not happen.

"I have no doubt that parliament will confirm him. There is no better candidate than Sergei Sidorsky," said Vasily Khrol.

"Results of recent years show that no one can manage the economy as well as he does. He knows what must be done for Belarus to prosper."

"The government is a purely technical body carrying out the president's orders," said economist Valery Dashkevich.

"Sidorsky is exactly the man Lukashenko wants as a good manager. He doesn't get involved in politics and displays no independence. The economy has developed in normal fashion."

An official in the government office, however, said changes in Sidorsky's cabinet line-up could not be ruled out.

Parliament's speaker, quoted by Belarussian media, said the chamber would consider Sidorsky's candidature next Tuesday.

Official election results gave Lukashenko 83 percent of the vote to 6 percent for liberal Alexander Milinkevich.

PRESIDENT IN CONTROL

Belarus's liberal and nationalist opposition, long cowed by tough police action and laws against illegal assembly, staged four days of unprecedented protests in a Minsk square.

Police eventually broke up a march outside the city center. More than 600 protesters received jail terms of up to 15 days.

Lukashenko disappeared from view for a week, prompting speculation that he had been rattled, but appeared in firm control in upholding his policies at his inauguration.

"As newly elected president I want to assure you that we will not back away from the country's development strategy which has been elaborated over the past 10 years," he said.

The United States and European Union have made plain they will not let the result stand unchallenged. The EU this week slapped a visa ban on Lukashenko and 30 top officials.

Lukashenko has built up genuine popularity by persuading older and provincial voters that he has provided a measure of stability and prosperity absent in ex-Soviet states.

Belarus's economy is run along Soviet lines, with authorities telling industry what and how much to produce.

Lukashenko has barred privatization and stressed his commitment to improving social standards. Statistics put gross domestic product growth last year at 9.2 percent.

"All this makes clear yet again that the authorities intend to stick to trusted policies in economic and social issues," said independent analyst Oleg Manayev.

"But it is also clear that given events in Belarus and elsewhere after the election, these policies cannot be maintained indefinitely."

Source:

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2006-04-13T105916Z_01_L12741619_RTRUKOC_0_US-BELARUS.xml

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