Zimouski: Russian factor is very favorable at Belarus’ presidential election

According to the former Chairman of Belteleradio, the Russian elite decided to help Lukashenka to "comfortably win the elections."

Former Chairman of Belteleradio, Aliaksandr Zimouski, media consultant, who now works in St. Petersburg, said: it is not difficult to predict "election" moves of the Belarusian authorities. He said he even had a bet that the elections would be scheduled not November 15, as was repeatedly stated by Lidzia Jarmoshyna, but a month or month and a half earlier:

“It's a stereotype, that the opposition is weak - we have been living with it for 20 years and during all these years, it has been weak. But it does learn something. Therefore, the main thing in the Belarusian election campaigns is to irritate the opponent. He has to be in limbo. And that is why it is such a typical Lukashenka's "non-standard" move - everyone expected it on the 15th [November], and it will be almost one and a half months earlier”, - said Zimouski in the interview with Euroradio.

Zimouski draws attention to the fact that the news about the change of date of the Belarusian elections was not even in the top 20. This indicates that Belarusians consider the result of the upcoming presidential election known. And this is the problem not of the opposition, but of the authorities. After all, the result of the election needs to be legitimized and sold to the West, claims the former head of BT.

Perhaps, that is why for the first time, the chairperson of the CEC publicly said something about the possibility of a second round of elections: "There is one thing, which was not there before: Lidzia Jarmoshyna said that the postponement is related also to the fact that the second round of elections is possible. Previously, it was a taboo. Nobody said anything like it!"

According to Zimouski, during the campaign of 2015, "the Russian factor is very favorable - the Russian elite has decided on Lukashenka's re-election for a new term and decided to help him win the election comfortably." However, Zimouski did not specify the possible payment for the assistance.