BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

19/06/2007

Former Belarusian Opposition Presidential Candidate Applies For Registration Of Movement

Alyaksandr Milinkevich has filed a request with the Justice Ministry to register the Movement for Freedom, Belapan reported on June 18. "We have set five priorities for our activities, including the protection of human rights, the building of civil society, the protection of independence and sovereignty, free and democratic elections, and the pro-European development of our society," Milinkevich's press office quoted him as saying. Milinkevich also argued that the ministry's decision on the movement's registration will indicate whether the Belarusian government has turned toward democratization. "The situation regarding freedom of association has considerably deteriorated lately," he said. "More than 200 nongovernmental organizations have been liquidated in the last three years. Not a single NGO has been registered unless it is directly or indirectly connected with the government." Milinkevich advocated forming a broad popular movement for freedom shortly after Belarus's March 2006 presidential election, in which he unsuccessfully challenged President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The founding conference for the Movement for Freedom took place in Hrodna on May 20 this year. Later that month, Milinkevich resigned from the participation in the Political Council of Pro-Democratic Forces, which is an umbrella organization for major opposition parties in Belarus (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 29, 2007). JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/06/3-cee/cee-190607.asp