Journalists Lozna state newspaper "Sciah Pieramohi", in fact, start of the campaign for the election of the incumbent president, though there is only a collection of signatures for nomination of presidential candidates and the time for the campaign has not yet come.

Such a conclusion can be reached, if you read the article "Began collecting signatures for nomination of candidates for the post of President". Author leads first standard information about the elections, similar to that which can be seen on the pages of other state-owned media, and in the end suddenly "forgets" that today the nomination as presidential candidates pretend to eight people, and last two paragraphs of the story of the dedicates the activities of the initiative group of Alyaksandr Lukashenka:

"On Friday gorposёlke near the shop "Kulinaryja" has its first picket to collect signatures for the nomination of candidates for the post of President of the Republic of Belarus. It was conducted by members of the initiative group of the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko. Many of the approaches discussed that with pleasure to vote for Lukashenka, as supports existing internal and external policies of the country.

The weekend pickets to collect signatures also had members of the initiative group of Alexander Lukashenko and representatives of regional organizations of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus and the association "Belaya Rus"."

No word on how to collect signatures for other potential candidates, and what people say about them – either in this article or elsewhere – on the pages of the newspapers there.

To the readers better understand what residents of Lozna are "happy to vote for Lukashenka", and not for someone else, the text, which bears the signature of some Lyudmila Biryulkova, accompanied by two photographs. On one of them BRSMovtsy, on the other – trade union members as members of the initiative group of Lukashenka. Behind them is a portrait of Lukashenko. And both pictures image voters – grannies, one of which speaks to collectors of signatures, and the other puts his signature.

If such blatant advertising incumbent president, who is not even registered as a candidate in this election – and only him – is not campaigning for him, what is propaganda? According to the Electoral Code, the state media are obliged to provide equal opportunities for candidates. Perhaps journalists Lozna some own understanding of the Electoral Code.

Vitebsk Spring