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#23 - JRL 2006-69 - JRL Home
Political Scientist: Belarusian Election Reflects True Preferences

MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Polity Foundation President Vyacheslav Nikonov believes that the Belarusian presidential election reflects people's true preferences.

"The elections mirrored the true preferences of Belarussian citizens; they really prefer (Alexander) Lukashenko," he told Interfax on Monday.

"The ballot cannot be called ideal because administrative resources were used in the election campaign," and the opposition did not have equal access to the media, he said.

"However, I know of no single post-Soviet election of the past 15 years that has been different," Nikonov said.

The Belarussian opposition enjoys the support of about 15% of the people, but it was unable to win the elections, he said.

Attempts to repeat 'the Orange scenario' in Belarus will be made, but Belarusian "authorities are much stronger than the authorities of countries that lost in 'Orange' situations, while the Belarussian opposition is much weaker," he said.

"There will be attempts to organize a revolution (in Belarus) but I do not think they have any prospects of success," Nikonov said.