Belarusian Presidential Hopefuls End Signature-Collecting Campaign

Symbols of the opposition on display at a 16 January rally (file photo) (Courtesy Photo) PRAGUE, 27 January 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Today is the final day for presidential hopefuls in Belarus to collect the 100,000 signatures they need in order to register for presidential elections to be held on 19 March.

District election commissions will now start checking the signatures before registering the candidates.

A number of contenders will be trying to unseat President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in the election, but most democratic opposition parties have thrown their support behind Alyaksandr Milinkevich.