Brest: only 17 representatives of political parties were included in precinct commissions of Maskouski district
Human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin, Brest.
1,630 people were
nominated to the precinct election commissions of the Maskouski district of
Brest. 1,124 of them became members of the PECs.
Political parties nominated 84 representatives, but only 17 of them were
included: 9 out of 45 nominees of the Belarusian Popular Front nominated, 2 of
16 – from the Belarusian Leftist Party Fair
World, 2 out of 13 – from the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, 2 out of 9 – from the UCP and 2
out of 9 – from the pro-governmental Communist Party of Belarus.
The Chairperson of the Maskouski District Executive Committee of Brest
Aliaksandr Rahachuk stated that candidates were included in the PECs proportionally to
the number of the applications received from NGOs and political parties. ‘We
didn’t offend anyone and were guided by the principle of objectiveness and
fairness during the establishment of the commissions,’ said the official.
However, the human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin, who attended the
sitting, disagrees with this allegation. ‘The inclusion of 17 representatives
of parties out of 84 looks ridiculous. All statements about the proportional
democratic selection are made for the people who know little about the
situation and whose interests are represented by representatives of such
organizations as Belaya Rus, the
Belarusian Republican Youth Union and the Union of Veterans who were massively
included in the commissions.’
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
