Vitsebsk oblast: results of formation of precinct commissions

The civil society of the Vitsebsk oblast continues summing up the results of the formation of precinct elections. 9 persons were nominated to the commissions by the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, but only 2 of them will work at precinct commissions – one in the town of Hlybokaye and the other – in Pastavy. The remaining 7 BCD activists (4 in Vitsebsk and 3 in Orsha, including Pavel Seviarynets, co-Chairperson of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, and Tatsiana Seviarynets, his mother, BCD coordinator in the Vitsebsk oblast) weren't included in the commissions.

In Verkhniadzvinsk, the local NGO Family nominated 16 representatives to precinct election commissions. 8 of them were included. 2 will work in the precinct commissions of Verkhniadzvinsk and 6 – in villages.

9 representatives were nominated by the Vitsebsk oblast NGO Self-government and Societ. Only 1 of them was included in the precinct commission of the Yeziaryshcha settlement in the Haradok district. None of them were included in the precinct commissions of Verkhniadzvinsk, Haradok, Orsha and Vitsebsk.

 The executive committees usually motivated the non-inclusion stating that the nominees had no experience of work in precinct commissions. In some cases they also pointed at the personal qualities of nominees. In particular, it happened to Leanid Haravy, a resident of Haradok whom the local authorities consider as a malignant quareller.

Another widespread reason for the non-inclusion of opposition representatives is the exhaustion of the legal quota for representatives of civil structures. The authorities tended to include representatives of pro-governmental NGOs and parties rather than representatives of the democratic opposition.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections