Analysis of consistence of the territorial commissions for elections of local Deputy Soviets in Belarusian regions and Miensk city

PUBLIC ASSOCIATION “HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER “VIASNA”

Analysis of consistence of the territorial commissions for elections of local Deputy Soviets in Belarusian regions and Miensk city

The tables below contain information about the formed regional and Miensk city commissions on holding elections of local Deputy Soviets. The analysis concerns the techniques of nomination to the commissions. We made use of the information that appeared in the official mass media.

All in all in Belarus there were established 6 regional and 1 Miensk city commission, the number of committee members is 13 in each commission (91 persons in 7 commissions).

№ Region, Miensk

Representa-tives of political parties (%) Representa-tives of public organizati-ons, trade unions (%) Representa-tives of bodies of local self-government, local administra-tion and State bodies Representa-tives of working collectives of enterprises (including enterprises of budget sector), (%) Persons, nominated by applications of citizens (%)
1 Bierastsie 1 (7,7%) 3 (23,1%) 2 (15,4%) 2 (15,4%) 5 (38,5%)
2 Vitsiebsk 2 (15,4%) 4 (30,7%) -- 3 (23,1%) 4 (30,7%)
3 Horadnia 2 (15,4%) 4 (30,7%) 1 (7,7%) 1 (7,7%) 5 (38,5%)
4 Homiel 1 (7,7%) 5 (38,5%) 2 (15,4%) 3 (23,1%) 2 (15,4%)
5 Mahilieu 1 (7,7%) 1 (7,7%) 2 (15,4%) 4 (30,7%) 5 (38,5%)
6 Miensk 1 (7,7%) 2 (15,4%) 2 (15,4%) 2 (15,4%) 6 (46,1%)
7 Miensk city 2 (15,4%) 8 (61,5%) 2 (15,4%) -- 1 (7,7%)
Total: 10(10,9%) 27 (29,7%) 11 (12%) 15 (16,5%) 28 (30,7%)

Commentary information about representation of political parties and public organizations was presented with regard to all political parties and public organizations, including pro-governmental parties, official trade unions and public organizations that receive funds from the State budget (Communist Party of Belarus (CPB), Agrarian party, Belarusian Republican Youth Union, veteran unions, etc.). At the same time we should specify that representatives of such public organizations as Republican Public association “Belarusian Helsinki Committee”, “Human Rights Center “Viasna”, Public association “Lieu Sapieha Foundation”, etc. that were slated for membership in regional commissions, weren’t included in the commissions.

The information about those members of commissions who are representatives of local self-government and local administration was presented with consideration of those commission members who were included in the commissions by Presidiums of the appropriate regional Deputy Soviets and executive commissions.

The last column reflects the number of members of the regional commissions who were nominated as a result of applications from population. A considerable part of these are Heads or representatives of the governing bodies of enterprises or State structures.

The results of the analysis of consistence of the 6 regional and 1 Miensk city commission allow to make the following conclusions:

1. Political parties have the smallest number of representatives in the commissions (Vitsibebsk region – CPB and Liberal-Democratic Party of Belarus (LDPB); Mahilieu region – LDPB; Horadnia region – Agrarian party and CPB; Homiel region – Party of Communists of Belarus; Miensk region – LDPB; Bierastsie region – PCB; Miensk city – LDPB and CPB). There are no representatives of such democratic parties as Belarusian People’s Front, United Civic Party, Belarusian Social-democratic Party (“Narodnaia Hramada”), Belarusian Social-democratic Hramada, etc.
2. The greatest number of representatives were nominated by applications. Keeping in mind that the majority of them are Heads or representatives of the governing bodies of enterprises or State structures one can conclude that this way of nomination was used by the authorities in order to make the impression that the principle of wide representation of Belarusian community at territorial commissions while forming them was executed. For instance, among the persons nominated by applications to Horadnia regional commission there are Head of the Unitarian industrial enterprise “Horadnia regional chemistry” P.I. Karpovich and director general of the open joint-stock society “Horadnia combinate of building materials” A.L. Luchyna, in Homiel regional commission – there are Head of inspection of the Ministry of Taxes of the Republic of Belarus in Buda-Kashaliova district V.Ia. Maiorchyk, Head of the Board of housing-communal economy at Homiel regional executive committee U.I. Mikhasiou, etc.
3. The tendency described above is also observed among the commission representatives, nominated by working collectives: almost all of them are Heads of enterprises, representatives of enterprise administration or State bodies. For instance, to Homiel regional commission from the working collective of the regional Unitarian enterprise “Homiel Factory “Kamunalnik” there was nominated its director N.P. Stakhieika, to Bierastsie regional commission from the working collective of Zhabinka district executive committee there was nominated A. Kaliada, etc.

Analysis of consistence of the territorial commissions for elections of local Deputy Soviets of the cities of regional subordination.

The table below contains information about consistence of the formed territorial commissions for elections of local Deputy Soviets of the cities of regional subordination. The given analysis concerned the techniques of nomination to the commissions and made use of the information published in official mass media.

All in all in Belarus there were established 20 commissions of cities of regional subordination. 10 of them were subject to analysis which allowed to define the main tendencies that accompanied their forming.

№ City Represen-tatives of political parties (%) Represen-tatives of public organizati-ons and trade unions (%) Representa-tives of bodies of local self-government, local administra-tion and State bodies (%) Representa-tives of working collectives of enterprises (including enterprises of budget sector), (%) Persons, nominated by applications of citizens (%)
1 Homiel 3 (23,1%) 1 (7,7%) 2 (15,4%) 1 (7,7%) 5(38,5%)
2 Mahilieu 1 (9,1%) - - 3 (27,3%) 7 (63,6%)
3 Horadnia 2(15,4%) 2(15,4%) 2(15,4%) 4 (30,8%) 4 (30,7%)
4 Navapolatsk 1 (7,7%) 2(15,4%) - 6 (46,1%) 4 (30,8%)
5 Mazyr 1 (7,7%) 2(15,4%) 1 (7,7%) 4 (30,7%) 5(38,5%)
6 Zhodzina 1 (7,7%) - 2(15,4%) 1 (7,7%) 9 (69,2%)
7 Barysau 1 (7,7%) 1 (7,7%) - 2(15,4%) 10 (76,9%)
8 Baranavichy 1 (7,7%) 3 (23,1%) 1 (7,7%) 1 (7,7%) 7 (53,8%)
9 Pinsk 1 (7,7 %) 1 (7,7%) 2 (15,4%) 4 (30,7%) 5 (38,5%)
10 Maladechna 1 (7,7%) - 2 (15,4%) 2(15,4%) 8 (61,5%)
Total: 13 (10,1%) 12 (9,4%) 12 (9,4%) 28 (21,9%) 64 (50%)

During the analysis of the information about the consistence of these commissions there could be observed the tendencies that remind of those that concern forming of the regional commissions, such as the wish of the authorities to make the impression that they executed the principle of wide representation of Belarusian community.

The greatest number of commission members were nominated by applications of citizens and again a large part of them are Heads or representatives of the governing bodies of enterprises or State bodies. For instance, this is the way A. Harkou, Head of the department of law order provision and prophylactics of crimes of the board of internal affairs at Homiel regional committee, and A. Kupreichuk, the first secretary of Homiel city organization of Belarusian Republican Youth Union were nominated to Homiel city commission. V. Martynienka, Head of the department of organizational personnel work at Navapolatsk city executive committee, P. Husarau, business manager of Navapolatsk city executive committee and I. Kryviel, vice-director general on information-educational work, personnel and social development of the open joint-stock society “Naftan” were nominated by applications to Navapolatsk city commission, etc.

The situation with nomination to the commissions by working collectives is quite similar. As a rule, in this way there were nominated Heads of enterprises or their representatives. For instance, the working collective of Mahiliou city executive committee nominated its representative N.V. Vihura to Mahilieu city commission, vice-Head of Horadnia city Unitarian enterprise “Horadnia trolleybus shed” Iu.F. Nierad was nominated to Horadnia city commission, M.M. Pashynski, business manager of Mazyr city executive committee – to Mazyr city commission, etc.

So, grounding on the analysis of consistence of the territorial commissions for elections of local Deputy Soviets one can conclude that during forming of these committees there were violated the demands of Articles No. 11 and No. 35 of the Electoral code of the Republic of Belarus, there was violated the principle of wide community representation during forming of commissions.