{"id":120950,"date":"2025-01-08T20:07:43","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120950\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"chizniak-pledges-to-improve-party-system-steers-clear-of-criticizing-lukasenka","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120950\/","title":{"rendered":"Chi\u017eniak pledges to improve party system, steers clear of criticizing \u0141uka\u0161enka"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (RPLJ)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 8, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>Alaksandar Chi\u017eniak, leader of the pro-government Republican Party of Labor and Justice (RPLJ), has pledged to ensure cyber security, electoral sovereignty and consolidate society by improving the party system, if elected president later this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian opposition dismissed the January 21-26 election as a sham, citing the lack of fair competition and opportunities for critics of the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chi\u017eniak has posted his election manifesto, Belarus 2030, on the RPLJ website. His pledge to improve the party system comes a year after a major government crackdown on opposition political parties in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the summer and fall 2023, the government shut down12 political parties, including all registered opposition organizations. There are only four pro-government parties left in the country: Bie\u0142aja Ru\u015b, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Communist Party of Belarus (CPB) and the RPLJ. Three of them, except Bie\u0142aja Ru\u015b, have fielded their candidates for this month’s presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike his January 8 radio address, Chi\u017eniak\u2019s published manifesto does not contain the promise to boost the Belarusian army’s potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He claims to have a clear plan if elected to invest in youth by launching the Decent Start program to offer young people high-paid first jobs and benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The manifesto calls for the establishment of practical training and internship programs and the launch of regional grants for startups and create conditions for youth development, a sensitive topic amid human capital flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He promises to create favorable conditions for research and development investment and new companies, unite digital services into one ecosystem and support small and medium businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RPLJ leader promises young families and seniors affordable rent and mortgage, childbirth subsidies and adequate pensions for working pensioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make city \u200b\u200band village life more comfortable, he pledges to upgrade infrastructure, maintain environmental balance and “improve the quality of services in the regions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also promises to develop cooperation with international partners and seek the lifting of sanctions by expanding good-neighborhood diplomacy, something the current government has failed to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without criticizing the incumbent, the manifesto notes that Belarus’ population has decreased by 300,000 in the past 10 years. “By 2030, every fifth citizen will be older than 65,” it says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chi\u017eniak says that this is a major challenge for Belarus. Just as his radio address, he points out that 80 percent of Belarusians want to live in cities, which “widens the regional gap.” “Young people are looking for better opportunities, and we cannot ignore the challenge,” the candidate says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chi\u017eniak notes that his experience in urban planning and party management, the RPLJ presence in parliament and local councils, and a strong team would help him to cope with presidential duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other presidential candidates are CPB leader Siarhiej Syranko\u016d, LDP leader Aleh Hajdukievi\u010d, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, and Hanna Kanapackaja, a candidate in the 2020 presidential election and a former MP (2016\u20132019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus has not held a single free and fair election since 1996, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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