Red-green billboards “Victory is in our hands” appeared in Minsk (Photo)

• 17.11.2010, 10:38

Minsk city executive committee does not know who had designed such a poster, and the Central Election Committee is convinced that it is an advertising of the election in general, not a specific candidate.

Not far from Druzhnaya bus station in Minsk an unusual election poster appeared. Against a red-green background the election date is written, and a guy is standing nearby, his face is not seen. Under the photo of the young man it is written in red and green letters: “Victory is in our hands”, and “Victory in our hearts” on the chest of the guy.

The billboard, on which the poster is placed, is owned by a private agency. Its content is explained by a recent initiative of Minsk city executive committee that 50% of advertising on billboards in Minsk should be social advertising. The European Radio for Belarus has been informed about that by the agency, the owner of the billboard.

“There are very many billboards with public service advertisement now. It was an order of the city authorities. The source is the city [authorities], not from a client. Social advertising campaign is to last till December 20,” said an employee of the advertising agency.

After the election the advertising space is to be sold again to clients, the employee added.

The CEC representative said that the billboard advertises the election, not of a concrete candidate. Such a billboard could have been placed by any candidate for presidency, as the CEC Secretary Mikalai Lazavik said.