Belarusian Liberal Democrats to nominate their leader Gaidukevich as presidential candidate
MINSK. Feb 10 (Interfax) - The Belarusian Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) plans to nominate its leader Oleg Gaidukevich as a presidential candidate in 2020, the LDP press service said in a statement.
"The LDP Supreme Council and Central Committee held a session attended by the heads of regional branches on February 9. Pursuant to decisions made previously at the LDP congress, it will nominate the party's leader, parliamentarian and deputy head of the Foreign Affairs Committee Oleg Gaidukevich as a candidate for the post of president of the Republic of Belarus," the statement said.
The LDP has completed the preliminary formation of an action group for its candidate and stands ready to start collecting 100,000 voters' signatures to validate its candidate's registration, it said.
"Right now, over 3,500 people have joined the action group, and the group's formation will continue until the submission of the documents for registration to the Central Elections Commission," the statement said.
The party has already formed campaign staffs in Minsk and all Belarusian regions.
In the 2001, 2006, and 2015 presidential elections, the LDP's presidential candidate was its former head and Oleg Gaidukevich's father, Sergei Gaidukevich.
The LDP was set up in 1994 and is currently the largest political organization in Belarus. As of 2019, the LDP numbered over 47,000 members.
Belarus is to hold presidential elections no later than on August 30, 2020. Alexander Lukashenko, who has served as Belarusian president since 1994, said in November 2019 that he planned to run for reelection.