To fully understand how Belarus has turned into a dictatorship with the worst status of civil society in Europe, one should closely examine Lukashenko's illegal referendum of 1996, as it marked the turning point for the country. Two years after becoming president, Lukashenko had grown frustrated with the parliament because it was impeding his steady consolidation of all power in the presidential institution. In July 1996, the parliament refused Lukashenko's demands to extend his term and to curb the powers of the Constitutional Court by creating a second legislative chamber to be chosen by the president. Lukashenko, irate, called for a nationwide referendum on proposals to amend the 1994 constitution to increase his power immensely. Parliament also put forth amendments, and the referendum was scheduled for 26 November 1996.Three weeks prior to the scheduled referendum, the Constitutional Court ruled that the proposals from the parliament and president were not amendments but totally new constitutions, fundamentally changing the structure of government. The court also found that although amendments could be adopted by referendum, new constitutions could only be adopted by parliament. It determined that the referendum could proceed, but it would have no binding effect.

The regime made sure that the referendum did proceed and, in an ominous sign of things to come, controlled printing, distribution, and counting of ballots, as well as all meaningful and influential media coverage of the event. According to the European Institute of Mass Media, more than 92 percent of air time on national television and radio allocated for coverage of referendum issues was devoted to the president's position, and only 8 percent was given for neutral information. The opposition did not receive a single minute of air time. On 1 September 1996, the same day that Lukashenko's draft of a new constitution was scheduled for debate, the government shut down the only independent radio station in the Belarusian language, the popular Radio 101.2, saying that the radio station's transmitter was interfering with signals from government communications.

Once it became clear that the referendum, was indeed going to take place, international organizations requested that they be allowed to send observers to monitor the proceedings. They were refused. During the referendum itself, the sealing of the voting ballots was not monitored by the Central Electoral Commission, which gave the executive branch wide latitude to falsify the results, which they did.Under these conditions, the referendum passed. Lukashenko promptly disregarded the decision of the court and illegally declared the results of the referendum binding. He proceeded to oust the existing parliament, disband the Constitutional Court, and grant himself the start of a new five-year term in office. (The formation of the so-called National Assembly, composed of deputies loyal to Lukashenko, took place literally, after the referendum.) Lukashenko's amendments (effectively an entirely new constitution) he took absolute control over every aspect of government to a degree unparalleled anywhere else in Europe.

To illustrate the thoroughness with which Lukashenko consolidated power, it should be noted that he took total control of all of the following:
• the judiciary in the country (hiring and firing at will all military and district
judges with no parliamentary check)
• the Constitutional Court (appointing six of twelve members, including the
chairman)
• the lower house of parliament (personally selecting members without election)
• the upper house of parliament (having the power to appoint one-third of members
at any time)
• al] state income and expenditures
• all meaningful media

Perhaps most significant, the new constitution allowed the president to issue decrees having the force of law in circumstances of "specific necessity and urgency" Lukashenko has since interpreted this very broadly and has issued many decrees with the sole aim of preventing civil society and democracy in Belarus will discuss these decrees later. The International League for Human Rights, one of the few Western organizations that closely monitors developments in Belarus, said of the illegal 1996 referendum,"from a legal perspective, it can be characterized as a coup d'état, a virtual seizure of power." No international organizations or Western countries recognized the referendum; they continued to regard the Thirteenth Supreme Soviet, which Lukashenko disbanded, as the rightful parliament. cannot overstate the negative effect that the 1996 referendum had on Belarus's relations with the West. Lukashenko's total consolidation of power not only led the country into economic ruin and international isolation but provided one man the political power to commit gross violations of human rights and obliterate civil society in Belarus.

Отредактировано POLITICO (21 января 05:46 pm)