Lukashenka Files Papers For 2006 Election

Four candidates have so far filed to challenge Lukashenka in 2006 (CTK) 22 December 2005 -- Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka today submitted his paperwork to run for the presidency in next year's elections.

Nikolai Lazovik, the chairman of the Central Election Commission, confirmed receipt of Lukashenka's candidacy forms.

The commission has four days to register candidates, after which all those planning to run in presidential elections must submit a list of signatures from 100,000 registered voters to be officially eligible to run in the March 2006 poll.

Aleksander Milinkevich, predicted to be Lukashenka's leading competitor in elections, was expected to hand in his forms tomorrow.

Four other candidate hopefuls submitted their forms before Lukashenka.

(Reuters)