Lukashenka, Aleksandr Hrygorevich

▪ 1995

      Throughout the former communist states of Eastern Europe, ex- or pro-communists were returning to power. Still, Aleksandr Lukashenka was a surprising newcomer to the Belarusian political scene in 1994, emphatically winning the runoff presidential election on July 10 against Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kebich, a man who had controlled the politics of the country through strong backing in parliament. Lukashenka was known to the population only because of his role as chairman of the parliamentary commission on corruption. During the campaign, he propagated a simple message: return to a "clean" government; remove corrupt officials from office and bring to trial those who had abused their position; and move the country closer to its Russian neighbour in orientation.

      Lukashenka was born in the village of Kopys, Orshanske raion, Vicebsk (Vitebsk) oblast in 1954. He graduated from the Mahilau (Mogilyov) Teaching Institute and the Belarusian Agricultural Academy. In 1975-77 he was an instructor of political affairs of the Western border district (he spent a total of five years in the army). Subsequently, he held a series of minor posts in the Komsomol (Young Communist League) and raion organizations in the Shklau region of Mahilau oblast. From 1982 through 1990 Lukashenka held leading management and Communist Party posts at collective and state farms and at a construction materials combine in the Shklau region. He was elected to the Supreme Soviet (parliament) in 1990 from Tuisvwal district.

      In the parliament Lukashenka created a faction called Communists for Democracy. He was the only deputy to oppose the December 1991 agreement that effectively dissolved the Soviet Union. He maintained close association with "conservative" Communist factions, such as the Belaya Rus Slavic Congress and the Union of Officers, and prior to the Belarusian election was known to have links with similar groups in Russia. In May 1994 Vladimir Zhirinovsky's (q.v.) Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) arranged a press conference for Lukashenka in Moscow after he addressed the State Duma with an appeal for the formation of a new Slavic Union.

      Despite such associations, Lukashenka was best described as unpredictable. He was something of a novice in the affairs of state and had made several contradictory statements and radical shifts of direction. He was committed to economic and monetary union with Russia and possibly favoured political union, but he balked at weakening Belarusian independence and found close relations with Russian Pres. Boris Yeltsin difficult to achieve. Despite a proclaimed opposition to privatization and market reformers, he kept some promarket politicians in high office. The pro-Communist Lukashenka might be characterized as a gradualist with a clear preference for a powerful executive. (DAVID R. MARPLES)

* * *