Salihorsk: local interpretations of notion of transparency

Young activist Ivan Shyla lodged a complaint with Aliaksandr Rymasheuski, Chairperson of the Salihorsk district executive committee, against the refusal of Anatol Kazakevich, Deputy Chairperson on ideology of the Salihorsk district executive committee, to inform him about the date and place of the sitting for forming of the Salihorsk district election commission.

Before lodging the complaint, Ivan Shyla kept phoning to the official for three days, introducing himself and asking to provide the necessary information. In response, the official only told him to read the laws and refused to give any information.

Referring to the law, Mr. Ideologist most probably meant Article 34 of the Electoral Code, guaranteeing the right of representatives of political parties, other civil associations, working collectives and citizens who nominated their representatives to election commission to attend the sittings of state organs that are held for forming the appropriate election commissions. However, this provision means only that the aforementioned subjects have a guaranteed right, but doesn’t mean that sittings of the state organs are closed from other interested persons including ordinary citizens. That’s why Ivan Shyla thinks that in this case the state official violated his right to receive information and the principle of openness of sittings of state organs.

’I phoned to the Central Election Commission, in the PR department, and described the situation. I was explained that most probably, the local official had violated the legal norms. Then I decided to apply to his direct boss. I don’t have much of a hope for a positive result, the more that there is no factual evidence of my phoning. However, it is a test of honesty of the main ideologist of our town,’ says Ivan Shyla. The legal term for answering his complaint is 15 days.

Human Rights for Free Elections