Monitors attack widespread flaws in Belarus poll

A REFERENDUM which allowed Europe’s “last dictator” — Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko — to run for another term suffered widespread violations, election observers and opposition figures said yesterday.

Lukashenko, aged 50, who has run the former Soviet republic of 10 million with an iron hand since his first election in 1994, shrugged off the criticism and said the results of Sunday's vote to scrap presidential term limits showed he has the people's trust.

"I'm pleased with these results," Lukashenko said. "Our 10 year work has received a high appraisal."