Who nominated delegates to Belarusian People's Congress?

The nomination of candidates for the 4th Belarusian People's Congress ended on October 27, the news that came up somewhat accidentally. ERB tried to find out how it was possible to get nominated for the congress and where the information about it was available.

Offiials at Minsk's Maskouski District ideology department claim this information was available in the press, and people could easily find out about the nomination of candidates for the congress.

"It was all in the press, in newspapers and on TV. It is all official. This is a national forum. Delegates were mainly nominated by working collectives. The procedures were approved, stipulating how many people and from which organizations. An organization must have more than 30 people".

It was also possible to get nominated from a party which has more than 100,000 members. Yet, it is impossible to join such a party which is non-existent in Belarus.

The only remaining option is to get nominated by a public organization. There are only three public organizations with more than 100,000 members: BRSM (official youth union), Belaya Rus, and Federation of Trade Unions.

Interestingly, it is also possible to get nominated by an assembly of residents of your house. There should be only 300 people, not 100,000 members of a party or a public association. Those 300 people can nominate up to 20 delegates, no informaion about this procedure was posted in shops, house entrances or in utility payment offices was made available to residents.

ERB's correspondent also failed to find any resolutions stipulating the dates and procedures delegate nomination in the state-owned press. The Office of the President adivsed to approach district administrations, which in turn sent us back the presidential administration.

"No materials were available for a very long time", says human rights activist Raisa Mikhailouskaya. "Officials at Minsk City Hall and Leninski District's Ideology Department kept telling me that the documents would soon be published in the press. But, yesterday, we learned accidentally the nomination was about to end".

The last time she called City Hall about nomination was last week, when she was told nothing was known yet. But, she found out that the meeting of an organizing committee took place as far back as on October 15. The minutes of the meeting were posted on the web site five days after, while nomination began three days after.

Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu urgently gathered 300 people in Leninski District in Minsk on the last day of nomination. The meeting managed to nominate 9 delegates who will take part in the district's assembly on November 4. The meeting will select 48 delegates to Belarusian People's Congress out of 600 members.

A total of 2500 people from across Belarus will be delegated to the Belarusian People's Congress.