Even commission members have no electoral code text

Central Elections Commission chairperson Lidziya Yarmoshyna recently seemed to be surprised that representatives of the opposition lacked education. She maintained they were filing their complaints to the wrong agency. Under the new Electoral Code, complaints should be sent to courts. The oppositionists who were denied membership at the territorial electoral commissions allegedly do not know the new code and file their complaints to the Central Election Commission, under the old code.

Yury Chavusau from the Belarusian Popular Front did not make it to a electoral commission, althogh no violations were registered durigng his nomination. The official reason for denial was surprising. The leaderhip board of the Belarusian Popular Front public association comprises only 4 people, not enough for nomination of members of electoral commissions. Chavusau says it is a violation of the law. The complaint was filed with a court, in accordance with the new code.

Yury Chavusau: "Undoubtedly, Lidziya Yarmoshyna is a political figure who is interested in creating a bad image for opposition nominees in the electoral commissions. Therefore, she presents some separate cases as typical and common for opposition nominees for elctoral commissions".

It appears that the majority are aware of the provisions in the new code. But the Central Elelctions Commission has failed to ensure proper conditions in order to provide people with the text of the new Electoral Code, says Siarhei Alfer from the United Civic Party:

"I am a member of the Minsk City Electoral Commission. We were told that the codes would be provided after printing, but nothing has arrived by the time the electoral commissions started to work".

Photo: Only the old version of the electoral code is available at the Central Bookstore.