Presidential election 2015 in Belarus

MINSK, 1 July (BelTA) – Representatives of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) will arrive in Belarus for the first time as observers to monitor the presidential election, BelTA learned from Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina on 1 July.

The head of Belarus’ CEC said: “We have been members of the Association of World Election Bodies based in South Korea for two years already. Representatives of the A-WEB secretariat will be invited to observe the Belarus president election for the first time.”

“In essence every sixth polling station in Belarus is covered by international observers,” noted Lidia Yermoshina referring to the experience of the previous presidential election campaign.

The CEC head reminded that only those people, who have been invited to monitor the election, are recognized as international observers. Invitations are sent by the Belarus president, both chambers of the parliament, the CEC and the government (via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Lidia Yermoshina noted that the regulation on international observers will be definitely translated into English.

Apart from that, elections can be monitored by members of both chambers of the Belarus parliament, municipal councils of deputies as well as authorized representatives of the candidates. As a rule, over 30,000 domestic observers monitor an election.

Lidia Yermoshina added that observers will have to go through the accreditation procedure. Up till now it has been done only during municipal elections. “As a matter of principle, the procedure was in place in the past but under a different name,” said the CEC head. As part of the accreditation procedure information about the observer is recorded in a special journal of the relevant precinct commission or the territorial commission.

“This simple procedure now serves as a warning for those observers, who break the law. If an observer breaks the law and interferes with the operation of the election commission, accreditation may be revoked,” explained the CEC head.

“I would like to point out, colleagues, that an observer representing a public association is already present during our session,” said Lidia Yermoshina. She explained that observers of any level can be present during sessions of commissions of any level. Governing bodies of public associations and political parties can send observers to sessions of the Central Election Commission of Belarus. However, the law does not allow the presence of observers representing labor collectives during CEC sessions.