Local Election Commissions Formed. Political Parties and NGOs excluded again

Brest region state-owned newspaper Zarya on 5 and 7 December informed its readers that “Professional, literate, competent people became members of regional election commission. They are the people, who enjoy the confidence of working collectives, citizens’ groups, and non-governmental organizations”.
The newspaper published the lists of people, who became members of Brest regional commission for election of deputies into local councils. The list was approved on the joint session of the presidium of Brest regional council and Brest regional executive committee. It was hard not to notice that “working collectives” of Brest region were mostly represented by working collectives of the executive committee; “citizens’ groups” – again by the representatives of the local executive committees, councils and a small number of heads of working collectives; by “non-governmental organizations” the newspaper meant only those which would never oppose the current administration. Political parties are represented by one person, nominated by “regional branch of the Communist Party”.
Representatives of other political parties (Belarusian Popular Front, Belarusian Social Democratic Party “Narodnaya Hramada”, etc.) and non-governmental organizations, which are concerned about the future of our country (for example, Brest regional branch of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”) did not find themselves in the lists. Although political parties and NGOs had nominated a lot of their representatives to election commissions of different levels.
Moreover, Kanstantsin Babko, who had been deputy chairperson of Brest regional election commission during the presidential election-2001, was again approved as a member of the regional election commission. Let us remind you, that Kanstantsin Babko had received a warning from the prosecutor for violation of the Election Code. This “professional, literate, competent” person has just been chosen as the head of the regional election commission!
We can draw only one conclusion, that the joint group of Brest regional deputies’ council and Brest regional executive committee has formed the election commission, basing on the old, trusted manpower.

For further information please contact
Brest regional branch of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”
(8-0162) 20-13-95
Uladzimir Vialichkin