Ales Bialatski, CEC Advisory Member: “It is a shame that CEC members with the right to vote execute the political order”

During two days before the election CEC did not cancel any decisions of district commissions about candidates’ removal from the ballot. CEC member with advisory vote Ales Bialatski comments on the situation: “During the last 3 years CEC chair stood guard over the Election Code. Now CEC members became hostages of the Code that formally allows canceling candidate’s registration on the ground of obvious provocation. Just as it happened in the cases of Aleh Volchak and Ales Mikhalevich. The leaflets were obviously false and provocative. However, if district election commission decided the leaflets were a sufficient ground, CEC could not help but to leave those decisions unaltered. Because in this case one either has to display civic courage, or prescribe expert examination.
On October 16 I addressed CEC members and said they had become the hostages of the Election Code. I said that the false leaflets were a provocation and it was a shame that CEC members were used to execute the political order. They warned us, CEC members with advisory vote, they were afraid we would politicize the work of the Central Commission. In reality, it was CEC which politicized the whole election campaign by such decisions. Decisions of district election commissions which canceled candidates’ registration, were confirmed by CEC. That’s why I said during my speech that part of the blame for this marasmus lies on CEC members. I said that may be every one of them is an expert in some sphere, but, besides knowledge of law, one is to feel responsible for the fate of our country”.