30.09.2010 Radio Racyja journalist summoned to KGB
Zmitser Kisel, journalist of the Poland-based Radio Racyja, has been summoned to the KGB Brest department to reportedly ‘clear up the troubles associated with him’, Radio Racya reports.
Biaroza activists Tamara Shchapiotkina and Siarzhuk Rusetski, who earlier were not invited to the joint meeting of Biaroza district executive committee and the presidium of Biaroza district council of deputies for the formation of district election commission, have lodged a complaint with the Central Election Commission.
Mikalai Sharstsiuk, representative of the Belarusian party of the Left ‘Just World’, was not elected member of Polatsk town election commission. His nomination was dismissed since it did not specify which local office of the party nominated the activist.
Orsha town executive committee released its decision #1371, imposing a ban on maintaining canvassing activities in a number of public places across the town. The decision was posted on the committee’s official web-site and later published in Orsha major state-run newspaper ‘Arshanskaya hazeta’.
Minsk city authorities have published their decision on the public places banned for canvassing for signatures. The ban covers three of the city’s main squares: Independence square, Victory square and Kastrychnitskaya square. Canvassing is not allowed within 50 meters of the governmental buildings, embassies, prosecutor’s offices and courts, as well as the organizations, which ‘maintain the defense capability, state security and life-sustaining services (public transport, water and energy supply facilities, hospitals and schools).
Leanid Haravy, Haradok member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party ‘Hramada’, has lodged a complaint against local authorities’ decision to dismiss his nomination for the town’s election commission.
The local executive bodies have identified the list of public places banned for collecting signatures by presidential hopefuls’ initiative groups. The information provided by observers from various regions shows that most populated areas are not among the authorized canvassing locations.
Lydia Ermoshina, Chair of the CEC, said that she believed in Alexander Lukashenko's victory in the forthcoming election. This was proclaimed even before the documents on registration of the initiative group of the incumbent president were submitted to the CEC. The statement by the CEC Chair is against the principles of non-engagement and fairness, which should be the guide for the electoral administration.