Looks like not pretty much has changed in some parts of the world that were supposed to change after the USSR iron curtain went down and breakaway republics of the former Soviet Union were given hope of finding democratic self rule after decades of autonomous rule from Moscow.
Reports huffpo: Not a single opposition politician won a seat in the Belarus parliament in a weekend vote that was roundly condemned by international observers and looks set to deepen the former Soviet nation’s diplomatic isolation.
Critics also said the 74.3 percent turnout reported by the Central Elections Commission chairman on Monday was way too high and indicated widespread fraud.
The election resulted in representatives of three parties that have backed the policy agenda of President Alexander Lukashenko securing slots in parliament.
Then again one has to wonder was there really any hope of an individual or an entity ever winning a slot that would jeopardize Mr Lukashenko’s strong hold and that of his cronies who control natural gas and oil reserves and distribution rights? Yes it always comes down to money…
Offered Matteo Meccacci, leader of the short-term observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
“This election was not competitive from the start. A free election depends on people being free to speak, organize and run for office, and we didn’t see that in this campaign.”
But then again who really believes a despot when they talk about free elections in the first place? Certainly not the main opposition parties who boycotted the election.
Then there’s the following that might sober some of you who might think a mini uprising might just do the trick:
Lukashenko’s landslide win in a 2010 presidential election triggered a mass street protest that was brutally suppressed. Some of the 700 people arrested at that protest are still in jail, including presidential candidate Nikolai Stankevich.
But in case you think the US and them Europeans are just sitting there idly watching this shit go down without a care in the world (have to wonder whose interests are really being served with the political crackdown and who are the real end users of all that gas and oil…?) huffpo attempts to reassure us by telling us this:
The United States and the European Union have imposed economic and travel sanctions on the Belarusian government over its crackdown on opposition groups and independent news media.
Of course one is wanton to know how much influence the US has really to date exerted on Mr Lukashenko if any? Or could it be that perhaps intervention doesn’t fit the US’s imperialistic aspirations (see the US knows how to play this game too) at the moment and perhaps it’s just best to be sidestep the issue and keep wailing about stuff that no one really believes or cares about when they think nobody is looking? Then again talking about imperialist notions one has to wonder why Russia is remaining mum on this issue and what it’s getting out of this deal?
And for those of you seeking some more background bio on Mr Lukashenko and Belarus there’s this sobering report:
Belarus’ parliament has long been considered a rubber-stamp body for Lukashenko’s policies. He has ruled the former Soviet nation since 1994 and Western observers have criticized all recent elections in Belarus as undemocratic.
Isn’t it time you packed your bags and set about to see the jet setting sights of Belarus in the not too distant future….
