Opposition candidates in Belarus demand CEC dismissal

MINSK, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - With presidential elections in Belarus only two days away, two candidates from the opposition said Friday they intended to submit a petition to the parliament demanding that the country's election commission be dismissed and new elections held.

"We are voicing distrust in the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Belarus...and demand that the supreme legislative body urgently hold a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Republic's Council," Alexander Milenkevich and Alexander Kozulin said in a statement.

They demanded that the commission be dismissed and new elections be scheduled for no later than July 16, calling on the people to protest in the streets of Minsk on March 19, election day. They clarified that they were not asking the people to resist authorities, and said they did not fear the possible use of force by authorities against rally participants.