Civil society activist: authorities have already started forming electoral commissions

Civil society activist from Khotsimsk Valery Karankevich claims that the authorities of Mahiliou region are already forming the commissions on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus, although the election date has not yet been appointed by the Parliament.

“I have been informed by reliable sources that the authorities are hastily preparing to the elections, though their date hasn't been appointed yet,” states Mr. Karankevich. At the end of 2014, all district executive committees were instructed to prepare lists of four candidates to the position of heads of relevant district election commissions. In the Mahiliou region, the implementation of this order was entrusted to the heads of the departments of organizational work and personnel. In Khotsims district, this work was implemented by D. Lutchenkou. He proposed four candidacies including himself, unashamed of having never holding such positions. The lists of the candidates to these positions were promptly sent to the regional election commission. At the end of January, a commission consisting of the President's aidee on Mahiliou region, pensioner H. Laurankou, a veteran of the electoral campaigns, pensioner L. Makaranka and a member of the commission V. Malashka (deputy chair of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee), chose people from the list to these positions, in presence of officers of security services. This was done athwart the requirement of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus “On the formation of election commissions from representatives nominated by political parties, public associations, labor collectives and citizens through submission of applications". In Khotsimsk district, Yury Kurzenkou, 2nd group disabled who needs a constant medical care, was approved for the position of the head of the Khotsimsk District Election Commission, and the aforementioned D. Lutchenkou became his deputy. After the approval of these candidacies, the formation of the constituency election commissions started. Having formed them, they started forming precinct election commissions.

Thus, the organizational measures for preparing the elections of President of the Republic of Belarus will be over before the appointment of the date of the elections. There will remain just one question: how can representatives of the opposition and ordinary citizens get to these commissions? A similar work has been conducted in all regions and districts of Belarus,” states Valery Karankevich.

Earlier, Mr. Karankevich used to be the first deputy head of the Khotimsk District Executive Committee, in the local public utilities and headed agricultural enterprises in the Mahiliou and Khotsimsk district. According to him, he still maintains good contacts with representatives of th eadministrative vertical.