Kanapackaja applies for registration as presidential candidate

December 13, Pozirk. Former MP Hanna Kanapackaja who ran for president four years ago has applied for registration as presidential candidate for the upcoming January poll, the central election commission’s press office says.
Kanapackaja submitted her bid after Alaksandar Chižniak, Aleh Hajdukievič and Siarhiej Syrankoŭ, all of whom lead government-loyal parties.
Should authorities allow Kanapackaja to run, she may claim to represent the interests of pro-European Belarusians, opposition politician Anatol Labiedźka said earlier, commenting on his former party mate’s presidential bid.
Alaksandar Łukašenka, whose supporters claimed to have collected 2.5 million ballot-access signatures for his application, has until December 21 to submit his bid in person or by proxy.
Under the Belarusian Electoral Code, a candidate must garner at least 100,000 signatures to run for president. The required application documents include a biography, income and property statements, and a financial report from the campaign fund.
Belarus will hold its seventh presidential election from January 21 to 26, with the whole election cycle limited to just three months. The current campaign is taking place in a purged political landscape amid a new wave of crackdown on regime critics.
The Belarusian opposition dismissed the election as a sham, noting that political reprisals prevent pro-democracy candidates from running and voters from freely expressing their will.
The country has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Two pro-government party leaders apply for registration as presidential candidates
- PoliticsSupreme Court to consider exiled blogger’s appeal against sentenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SportRegional sports official chairs Football Federation of BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEmergencies minister says chemical plant accident not dangerousThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyRussia’s agro exports to Belarus surgeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk: EU fueling migration crisis instead of negotiating with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SocietyŁukašenka says pro-government trade unions are “most powerful parties”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish interior minister blames Minsk for migrant crisis escalationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ top diplomat negotiating visa-free travel in ThailandThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius demands explanations from Minsk over recent drone incursionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyAlarm prompts grid disconnection of Unit 2 at Belarus’ nuclear plantThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: foreigners travelling to Belarus face border interrogationsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsKGB brands Belarusians, Estonian as terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPolish defense minister outraged at migrants’ attacks on border guardsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ median salary rises by 19 percent year on yearThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUN experts demand probe into Belarus prison deathsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus to slash pensions for people paid off booksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityWitnesses say drones chased, shot down in southern Belarus last weekThe material is available only to POZIRK+