Why russians hold tyrannic politicans?

[Neighbour]

Originally posted by Turbin

However, on your picture you have not Niyazov of Turkmenistan but Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan...
Keep feeding your lies to somebody else.

I admit making a mistake. But Lukashenko and Dear Leader are real
I'm not feeding lies to anybody.

A referendum was held in Belarus recently on changes in constitution lifting the two-term limit and allowing the collective-farm director (known as the President of Belarus) to rule forever. The ballot was so flagrantly rigged that even some russian journalists openly criticized it.

***Russian Press***

To doubt whether Lukashenko will rule our Belarussian brothers for the foreseeable - and maybe, the unforeseeable - future, is the same as wondering whether snow will fall in winter.

Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda

***
Lukashenko has reinforced his status as a dictator. The "old man" has yet again demonstrated to the entire world that he is a worthy student of Stalin, having turned the procedure of the nationwide election into a farce.

Russia's Moskovskiy Komsomolets

***
You have to give Lukashenko his due. Not everyone can be a dictator, especially the last dictator in Europe. And quite possibly, such a leader is the best option for Belarus today.

Russia's Rossiyskaya Gazeta
***

Russian Journalists criticized the referendum but Russian authorities did't.

***Russian authorities***
Observers from Russian State Duma recognize elections and referendum in Belarus open and free

Deputies of the State Duma of Russia delegated as observers to Belarus consider the parliamentary elections and referendum ⌠open, free, democratic and legitimate■, says the State Duma▓s statement adopted on October 22.

The document notes that no serious violations were discovered in the course of registration of candidates to deputies. Assessing the voting Russian parliamentarians note that ⌠all necessary conditions for equitable, freewill of citizens of the republic have been ensured■.

The statement reads that the State Duma is concerned over the information from its observers that the parliamentary elections and referendum in Belarus were ⌠held under the unprecedented campaign of outside pressure■.

⌠Negative assessments from officials and political figures from several European countries and the USA on referendum in Belarus, the threat of imposing discriminative sanctions cannot be viewed otherwise but as an attempt of interference with internal affairs of a sovereign state, violation of the generally recognized norms of international law■, stresses the document.

In opinion of Russian parliamentarians the position of some Russian mass media, which covered the elections and referendum in Belarus ⌠from anti-Belarusian positions■, does not strengthen the prospects of speeding the formation of the stable Belarus-Russia Union, neither it corresponds to the national interests of Russia.

The State Duma affirms its respect to the will of the citizens of Belarus realized in the course of the parliamentary elections and the nationwide referendum, says the document.

***

History repeats in Ukraine.

***Russian Press***

***
We knew the government would try to falsify the results of the referendum. But we know this will not help it.

Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta

***
The people who voted for Viktor Yushchenko are educated, rich and young. As a result, Yanukovych, like [Belarus President] Lukashenka, will be the president of the poor and elderly. But the Ukrainian opposition is ten times stronger than the Belarusian opposition. Yanukovych will definitely have to enter into talks with Yushchenko, who is the No 2 man in the country.

Russia's Gazeta

***
Yanukovych has the very unstable 'Russian factor' to deal with. 'Unstable' because in similar situations Russia has not once given any real or tangible assistance to the candidate which it supported originally, be it Milosevic, Shevardnadze, Abashidze or Raul Khadzhimba. As soon as events began to deviate from the planned scenario, Russia either withdrew of its own accord or betrayed 'its' people.

Russia's Sovetskaya Rossiya



***PUTIN***
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who congratulated Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych before the official results were announced Wednesday, sent another message of congratulations Thursday.

"Now the most favorable conditions have been created for the Russia-Ukraine strategic partnership to enter a new and good-quality level," a Kremlin spokeswoman quoted Putin's message as saying.

"Citizens of our nations, linked by common historic and cultural links, are becoming even closer to each other," Putin said in the telegram. "The continuation of our active dialogue will undoubtedly help expand the bilateral cooperation for the sake of well-being of two brotherly people."

Earlier, Putin called the Western observers' criticism of the Ukraine election "inadmissible" and said through an interpreter that Ukraine "doesn't need to be lectured." The Kremlin-controlled Russian parliament on Wednesday denounced the Ukrainian opposition for its "illegal actions."
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe.../ukraine.reax/
***

How about Russian-controlled CIS observers?

***Russian Observers***
The Ukrainian Presidential elections held on October 31 are legitimate, free and open, CIS observers said in a released statement. As head of the CIS observer mission Vladimir Rushaylo, who is also the CIS Executive Secretary, announced at a press conference in Kiev, no violations have been found during the procedures of counting the votes.
http://www.russiajournal.com/news/cn...w=46176#n46176
***

And this is the reason why free media are so important. Everywhere - including Russia

*** AMEN ***

[Edited by Neighbour on 14th December 2004 at 18:55]

[StasUA]

Russian press is a matter of laughter in all of Eastern European counties.

Try reading http://www.pravda.ru for a good laugh they made an article there just recently praising the wonderful life in kaliningrad versus depressive Poland and Lithuania and claimed Ukrainian elections to be absolutely open and democratic

It's better than comedy shows. People should buy Russian satellite television for a good laugh

[Voyager13b]

Originally posted by StasUA
Russian press is a matter of laughter in all of Eastern European counties.

Try reading http://www.pravda.ru for a good laugh they made an article there just recently praising the wonderful life in kaliningrad versus depressive Poland and Lithuania and claimed Ukrainian elections to be absolutely open and democratic

It's better than comedy shows. People should buy Russian satellite television for a good laugh

I enjoy reading Pravda.ru. It's one of the best comedy rags on the internet. Even friends in Moscow quote them for comedic effect.


Voyager

[Neighbour]

Originally posted by StasUA
Russian press is a matter of laughter in all of Eastern European counties.

I have no doubt about it. But you will always find a voice of reason, even though the press in Russia is just semi-free now. The more free and independent press and other media are, the more voices of reason you find. Unfortunately Kremlin is tightening control over Russian free media.
Belarusian media are not free at all - all they write about in papers or show on TV is Lukashenko and how great he is. Belarusian media are an excellent example of what may happen to media in Ukraine if Yanukovych wins. Currently only in Ukraine, thanks to orange revolution, media are more free and independent than ever

[Edited by Neighbour on 16th December 2004 at 02:22]