Presidential candidates' speeches will be broadcast on television and radio from November 22 to December 3

November 15, Minsk / Yekaterina Nechayeva - BELTA /. Speeches by presidential candidates will be broadcast on television and radio from November 22 to December 3. This was announced today by the Chairperson of the Central Commission for Elections and Republican Referendums, Lidiya Yermoshina, at a meeting with OSCE/ODIHR international observers, a BELTA correspondent reports. According to Lidiya Yermoshina, after the registration of candidates, a draw will be held to determine the time slot for each candidate's speech. The Chairperson of the Central Election Commission emphasized that during the current election campaign, the National State Television and Radio Company was able to provide candidates with the best airtime. Thus, their TV appearances will be broadcast from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM on weekdays – precisely when most voters, returning home after work, turn on the TV. On the radio, candidates will speak from 6:00 AM to 7:10 AM – a period when most people listen to the radio at home in the kitchen before leaving for work. Lidiya Yermoshina believes that the time slots chosen this time are more preferable compared to 2006, when candidates spoke on the radio from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM and on television from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The Chairperson of the Central Election Commission recalled that this year, for the first time in Belarus, the opportunity for candidates to participate in televised debates is provided. Responding to a question from a BELTA correspondent about a possible change in the format of the televised debates and their broadcast live, rather than recorded as planned, Lidiya Yermoshina said that this issue is currently being discussed with representatives of the National State Television and Radio Company, and "all organizational issues will be resolved" by November 26 (the deadline for candidates to apply for participation in televised debates). -0-