Alaksandar Milinkievič facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alaksandr Milinkievič
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| Аляксандр Мілінкевіч Александр Милинкевич |
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Milinkievič in 2009
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| Born | 25 July 1947 Grodno, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
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| Nationality | Belarusian |
| Alma mater | University of Grodno |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Known for | Presidential candidate (2006) |
| Spouse(s) | Inna Kuley |
| Children | 2 |
Alaksandar Uładzimieravič Milinkievič (Belarusian: Аляксандар Уладзімеравіч Мілінкевіч, Russian: Александр Владимирович Милинкевич, born on July 25, 1947) is a politician from Belarus. He became well-known when he was chosen by the main opposition groups in Belarus to run against the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, in the 2006 presidential election.
Contents
About Alaksandar Milinkievič
Early Life and Education
Alaksandar Milinkievič was born in 1947 in a city called Grodno in Belarus. After finishing his studies at the University of Grodno, he earned a special degree called a Ph.D. from the Institute of Physics. A Ph.D. is a very high academic degree that shows someone is an expert in their field.
From 1980 to 1984, he worked as a leader for the new Physics department at the University of Sétif in Algeria. He also taught as a "docent" at the University of Grodno. A docent is a university teacher, similar to a professor. He taught there from 1978 to 1980, and then again from 1984 to 1990. During this time, he also started working with the local city government, becoming the head of one of its committees. He eventually became the deputy mayor of the city, which means he was second in command to the mayor.
Political Journey
In 2001, Milinkievič was the main helper for Siamion Domash. Domash was another opposition leader who was running for president in the 2001 presidential elections in Belarus.
In October 2005, a group called the United Democratic Forces of Belarus chose Milinkievič. They picked him to be the single candidate for all the different opposition groups. This meant he would run against the current president in the 2006 presidential election.
Awards and Recognition
On December 12, 2006, the European Parliament gave him the Sakharov Prize. This award is given to people who fight for human rights and freedom.
He also received the seventh Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award. This award is given each year by the Prague Society for International Cooperation and the Global Panel Foundation. It recognizes people who work to improve relations between countries.
Running for President
Choosing a Candidate
In October 2005, a big meeting called the Congress of Democratic Forces took place in Minsk, the capital city. About 900 people from different political and community groups came together. Their goal was to pick one person to be the opposition candidate for the 2006 Presidential election. Milinkievič was chosen over three other political leaders, including Stanislav Shushkevich.
The idea behind this was to have one strong opposition figure. This person would run against President Lukashenko, who had been leading Belarus for more than ten years. Belarus' opposition groups had tried to do this before in the 2001 presidential elections.
Campaign Inspiration
Milinkievič compared his campaign to what happened in neighboring Ukraine. There, another pro-Western candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, won an election in late 2004. This event was called the "Orange Revolution". Milinkievič said that what happened in Ukraine was an inspiration for his supporters. He told the Associated Press, "We believe that Belarus will be next after… Ukraine."
However, opposition leaders knew it would be a difficult fight. President Lukashenko's economic system, which is sometimes called "market socialism," had a lot of support. Especially in the rural areas of the country. Belarus is one of the few places that used to be part of the Soviet Union where the country's social support system is still very similar to how it was in the Soviet era.
Election Results and Challenges
In the 2006 presidential election, the official results showed that Milinkievič received 6% of the votes. The current president, Lukashenko, received 83%. During his campaign, some of Milinkievič's campaign materials were taken away. The UN Human Rights Committee later said that this action went against his rights.
In January 2006, the French government invited Milinkievič to Paris. He met with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also gave many interviews to news organizations in Western countries, including a TV interview to Euronews. Milinkievič, like other opposition activists, could not appear on TV inside Belarus. This is because the media in Belarus is controlled by the state. The only time he was allowed on Belarusian television was for his speech before the 2006 election.
Before this, he had already met the new Polish prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz. He also met the president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus. In February 2006, he met with the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. He also met German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Javier Solana, and several other important European politicians. His campaign received support from the Polish government and later from important officials in the European Union.
Personal Life
Alaksandar Milinkievič is married to Inna Kuley. He has two sons from a previous marriage. Besides his native Belarusian, Milinkievič also speaks Polish, French, and Russian.
Facing Challenges
Alaksandar Milinkievič has faced difficulties because of his political activities. In April 2006, he was held by the government for 15 days. This happened after he took part in a gathering that was not officially approved.
On November 23, 2006, government police stopped Milinkievič three times. This happened while he was traveling in the Vitebsk Region. On November 29, 2006, police stopped Milinkievič at a Minsk airport. This was after he returned from a meeting in Riga. He was accused of having a fake passport.
Later, on January 29, 2007, Milinkievič said he was fined $2,200. This fine was given after he was judged in his absence for supposedly leaving Belarus illegally. He believed this was an unfair action against him.
See also
In Spanish: Aleksandr Milinkevich para niños
- Knight of Freedom Award
