Kirau district: candidates are running unopposed, but somebody needs large turnout

There are three such candidates in the Kirau district: Valery Babaryka is running for the Mahiliou Regional Council of Deputies at the Kirauskaya election constituency #10; Natallia Vasilieuskaya, shop manager – for the Kirau District Council at the Staupitskaya election constituency #22; and Mikhail Bautovich, Chairperson of the Liubonichy outpatient clinic – at the Siarheyevitskaya election constituency #24.

The local authorities make the people voted for these candidates, though they have no rivals. The whole Kirausk is covered with Valery Babaryka’s posters. In Kirausk and the village of Staupishcha, the local officials warn workers that they would check the lists of voters and those who wouldn’t cast their votes would be dismissed from work. The electors are very surprised – why should they waste their time voting for the only candidate, and why do the authorities waste money on printing their posters? The only possible conclusion is that somebody needs to show a large turnout.

Bear in mind that in all three cases the constituencies became non-alternative as a result of the pressurization of candidates and members of their teams by the local authorities. Viachaslau Sheleh intended to compete with Natallia Vasilieuskaya and Valery Babaryka, but decided to run in Babruisk because members of his electoral headquarters were pressurized by the authorities. Natallia Haryst, head of the village club in Siarheyevichy, was threatened with dismissal and had to refuse from her intention to run at the elections.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections