Homel UCP Chair Drops Out

Vasil Paliakou, chairperson of Homel organization of United Civic Party, was registered as candidate to Homel regional council. However, he decided not to run in the elections.

Vasil Paliakou explained his decision to RFE/RL: “The elections carried out by the current authorities are not real elections. This is a political farce. The campaign does not meet the generally recognized principles of free, transparent and democratic elections”.

In his statement filed to the election commission Paliakou mentioned four reasons that made him drop out of the race.

First of all, this is the recent change in the election legislation, which complicated the procedure of nominating candidates by political parties.

Secondly, none of 49 nominees of Homel UCP were included in the local election commissions.

Thirdly, Homel city election commission did not register 8 out of 10 representatives of Homel UCP as candidates.

Besides that, when the list of registered candidates was published in the local newspaper, the election commission carried out additional examination of registration documents of candidates who belong to the political parties in opposition.