Belarus holds local elections

The local and municipal elections are taking place in Belarus on April 25. 21300 deputies will be elected to serve on 1495 local councils -- regional, municipal, district and village councils. The biggest competition is for the Minsk City Council with 3.9 candidates for one seat. In average across the country, 1.2 candidates compete for one seat, reports the official news agency Belta.

Over 25000 people, including nearly 300 representatives of the opposition parties and movements remain in the race.

The early voting procedure began on April 20. 22.1 percent voting early within the first four days. 26.1 percent voted early in the Mahilyow region; 25.9 percent -- in the Homel region. 17.5 percent of voters in Minsk also voted early.

Today's polls are the first elections that are held in accordance with the amended Electoral Code

19:15 Police search narcotics on poet and public leader Neklyaev in Mazyr

The European Radio for Belarus has learned that the police was searching a private house in the city of Mazyr where a meeting with poet and leader of public campaign Tell the Truth! was taking place. The police claimed the search was warranted because illlegal drugs could be in the house. Neklyaeu had visited several towns in the area, with some plainclothes agents being around and taping the rallies on video.

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19:00 Central Election Commission secretary says minor irregularities will not affect election results

No serious violations at polling stations have been detected during the election day on April 25, Central Election Commission secretary has said.

Mikalai Lazavik: “The telephone calls that we receive at the Central Election Commission display some defects in the operation of electoral commissions when preparing for the elections. For example, there are reports that someone was not included in the lists of citizens who have the right to vote at this polling station.

But such minor irregularities can be sorted out easily, he says. Such a person is simply be entered into the list. What important is to show a passport with the residence address.

Besides, among minor irregularities, Lazavik noted a ban for a ERB journalist to work at a polling station and that a huge number of flowers prevented observers to perform their duties. But he said that such 'minor things' could not affect the results of the polls..

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15:30 Mikalai Lazavik: 53 percent of voters have cast their ballots

Almost 53 percent of voters have cast their ballots by 1400 during the local elections in Belarus. 29.3 percent voted early during five days of the early voting period. 23.4 percent have voted within seix hours on the election day on April 25.

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15:00 ERB journalist removed from polling station by police (video)

The chairman of the electoral commission at the polling station No 75 in Minsk banned ERB journalist Valer Ruselik from making pictures and video at the polling station. When the reporter began referring to the Belarusian laws, the commission chairman called the police officers who literally walked the journalist out using their hands.

Commenting on the incident, CEC secretary Mikalai Lazavik clearly sided with the journalist and promised to sort out the situation.

At this polling station located at School No 75, United Civic Party acticvist Hanna Yahorava is running. Her main contender is the headmaster of the same school Tatsiana Berastsevich. The election commission chairperson is the deputy headmaster of this school. Watch the video from the main page newsline.

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13:54 5 statements on election violations compiled in Masty

The trustees of candidates for the Masty District Council Dzmitry Kukhlei and Andrei Haidukevich wrote statements about the violations of the Electoral Code at the Budaunichy polling stations No 6 in Masty, Dzmitry Kukhlei told the European Radio for Belarus.

Kukhlei: "Under Article 13 in the Electoral Code of Belarus, an observer, including a trustee of candidate, is entitled to the right to be present during the sealing of ballot boxes. I was at the polling station at 0850 and saw that the ballot boxes were not sealed. However, the chairman of the election commission Tsikhanovich denied me the right to be present during the seaing of the boxes and prevented me from observing the process of sealing. The chairman of the commission demanded that I leave the room where the sealing was taking place. I consider it a direct violation of the Electoral Code. Illegal actions of the commission can affect the results of the poll".

Alexander Pudaukin, a trustee of candidate Ales Zarembyuk today also wrote three statements on violations.

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13:39 42 percent have cast their ballots

Almost 42 percent or nearly 3 million people have already cast their ballots during the local elections, including five days of early voting, according to the information from the Central Election Commission by 1200.

The Vitsebsk region is taking the lead with over 50 percent of registered voters having turned out at the polling stations. .

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13:25 Lukashenka says local councils should have better contact with people

Local councils have an insufficient contact with people, reckons Alexander Lukashenka. "I would like us to change this situation drastically after the elections. Local councils together with trade unions and other public associations are the basis, the poles of the society", Belapan quoted Lukashenka as saying..

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12:28 Observers thrown out from polling station in Brest

Mikalai Lusevich, a candidate for the Brest Regional and City counciles, told Euroradio that his trustees were not allowed to observe elections at the polling station at School No 14. The commission secretary rudely removed them from the station, Mr Lusevich said.

There is no chairman of the election commission at the polling station. One of the commission members went out with a ballot box to voters where they reside. 

These are the violations of the amended Electoral Code, stressed Mr Lusevich. Complaints have been filed with the regional electoral commission.

Mikalai Lusevich is a member of the committee to organize the Belarusian Christian Democracy party.

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12:14 Over 18,000 domestic observers monitor local polls

Over 18000 domestic observers are working to monitor the local elections in Belarus. 900 out of the total number are working at the territorial and county commissions, while the rest are observing the operation of polling stations.

Central Election Commission secretary Mikalai Lazavik told Belapan news agency there is an average of three observers per one polling station. In big cities, their number can reach 5-6 persons per a polling station.

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11:46 Observers report some violations in Mahilyow

Barys Bukhel, an observer from the Mahilyow Human Rights Center, told Euroradio no protocols of early voting results have been posted at the polling stations from No 110 to No 116.

Barys Bukhel: "They give out information, but they have not posted the protocols which is a violation. Besides, at School No 6 observers were seated behind the polling boothes, so they cannot see the boxes or how the ballot papers are handed out. During the last elections, I was thrown out from this school".

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11:04 60 percent vote early at a polling station in Vitsebsk

This occurred at the polling station No 47 where dormitories of the local technology university are located.

Uladzimir Ramanovich, a candidate for the Vitsebsk City Council, told Euroradio that nearly 1600 voters are registered on the territory of the consituency.

Ramanovich: "During the early voting period, around 850-900 -- those who stayed in the dormitory -- voted ahead of the election day. Of course, people take this opportunity to leave for home and rest during the weekend. But students called me and even wrote through a social network that the lists of students are compiled and students are asked who and when is going to vote".

According to the candidate, the administration of the dormitories strongly asked students to vote early.11:04 60 percent vote early at a polling station in Vitsebsk

This occurred at the polling station No 47 where dormitories of the local technology university are located.

Uladzimir Ramanovich, a candidate for the Vitsebsk City Council, told Euroradio that nearly 1600 voters are registered on the territory of the consituency.

Ramanovich: "During the early voting period, around 850-900 -- those who stayed in the dormitory -- voted ahead of the election day. Of course, people take this opportunity to leave for home and rest during the weekend. But students called me and even wrote through a social network that the lists of students are compiled and students are asked who and when is going to vote".

According to the candidate, the administration of the dormitories strongly asked students to vote early.

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10:36 Election observer Alyaksandr Taustyka detained in Minsk

Entreprneur Alyaksandr Taustyka, a trustee of Ales Lahvinets, a candidate for the Minsk City Council, was detained in the evening of April 24 at the polling station No 27 at Sukharava constituency No 30 in Minsk.

BelaPAN reports that Taustyka, who was observing the early voting, made a remark to the deputy chairman of the electoral commission when two people entered the polling cabin at the same time. In 20 minutes, commission chairman Aksana Kokarava accused Alyaksandr Taustyka of "violating public order" and called the police.

The observer was charged with "petty hooliganizm" and is currently being held at a pre-trial detention center. He will appear in court on Monday.

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10:19. 48 percent vote early at a polling station in Maladzechna

48% of voters cast their ballot ahea of the election day at the Yashmenski polling station No 24 in Maladzechna. Several constituencis for regional and district councils run across their. The polling station is attended by residents of the four nearby dormitories that belong to various state-owned enterprises in the city. 

According to Belapan, over 30 percent have voted early in average in Maldzechna. In the village of Benitsa in the Maladzechan district, 70 percent of voters cast their ballots early.

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09:30. Lazavik: 29 percent have voted early

29,3% of voters or 2 million out of 7 million eligible voters cast their ballots early in the five days of the local elections, Central Election Commission secretary Mikalai Lazavik said.

He noted the most active voters were in the Mahilyou region (34.3 percent), the least active in Minsik (23.5 percent) during the early voting period.

Lazavik notes that more people voted early during this election than in 2007 (25 percent). He reckons this is because of good preparatory and organizational works of election commissions as well as warm spring weather.

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02:47. Opposition parties coordinate actions to  monitor elections in Brest

Yuhen Byalyasin

On April 25, the day of the local elections, observers from the Belarusian Christian Democracy and the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) will back up each other at their polling stations, candidate Mikalai Lusevich who is running for the Brest City and Regional Councils, told the European Radio for Belarus.

Thus, the monitoring has been coordinated in 11 consituencies where Social Democrats from Hramada are running and in 8 consituencies where the candidates from the Belarusian Christian Democracy are running, Mr Lusevich said.

The coordination in monitoring does not affect competition. In the Constituency No 13 where Mikalai Lusevich is running, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (H) also lined up its own candidate Alexander Salfatkin. Lusevich is also contended by the Social Democrats for a seat at the Brest City Council.




Photo: bymedia.net