Svetlahorsk: dependent commissions

22.08.2008. Tags: elections-2008, Svetlahorsk.

The majority of precinct election commissions in Svetlahorsk election district are formed mainly with employees of one organization. Heads of the organizations often become chairs of the commissions. This is very convenient for any manipulation: commission members would hardly dare to contradict their boss.

In Praletarskaya precinct # 1 all commission members are employees of heat and power plant; in Maladziozhny precinct # 13 – employees of “Chemical Fiber” plant; in Chyrvonaarmeiski precinct # 14 – employees of pulp and paper mill. According to the published list, the people were nominated by meetings of structural units: for instance, in heat and power plant they were nominated by accounts department, electric workshop, chemical workshop, etc.

“We analyzed the composition of commissions in other precincts, -- Viktar Ramanishka, member of Homel regional BPF organization says, in organizations that do not have structural units, schools, for example, they forced people to collect signatures for their nomination.As a result, the majority of commissions consist of employees of one organization. Out of 28 nominated representatives of democratic forces the rayon executive committee included no one in the commissions. That means, the authorities have something to hide".

Polling stations are located in all local schools. One of the teachers who asked not to publish his name says: “the rayon executive committee includes one person to each of the commissions. As a rule, this is school principal or anyone else from the administration. This person becomes chair of the commission. The commission did not elect a chair during its session. The principal behaves as a chair from the very beginning, and later in the minutes they write he has been elected.”

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections