Presidential election 2015 in Belarus

MINSK, 20 July (BelTA) – Most registered initiative groups will be able to collect 100,000 voters’ signatures, Secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Nikolai Lozovik told journalists after a session of the commission, BelTA has learned.

“I think the majority of the registered initiative groups have real chances to collect the necessary 100,000 signatures to register their candidates. Some of them nominate the leaders of the parties that have real structure, people who live in the regions. They can collect the necessary number of signatures. No one doubts that the head of state will be able to perform this task,” said Nikolai Lozovik.

However, the CEC Secretary urged the citizens to whom signature collectors address to pay attention to the signature sheets, to whether they are filled correctly. "Every signature collector must have an identification document issued by the commission, stamped and signed by its chairman. The signature sheet must indicate who the signatures are collected for, and also the name of the collector of signatures,” he explained.

As was reported the Central Election Commission of Belarus completed the registration of initiative groups for nomination of presidential candidates on 20 July. All in all, the CEC registered eight initiative groups for the collection of signatures. Today the Central Election Commission registered the initiative groups to nominate Viktor Tereshchenko, Nikolai Ulakhovich, Zhanna Romanovskaya, Tatyana Korotkevich and Anatoly Lebedko. On 17 July the CEC registered the groups who will collect signatures to nominate Alexander Lukashenko, Sergei Kalyakin, and Sergei Gaidukevich as presidential candidates.

Voter signatures will be collected from 23 July through 21 August. At least 100,000 signatures are needed for a candidate to get registered. Belarus citizens are free to give their signatures to several candidates, however, they can give their signatures to a specific candidate only once.

In order to collect signatures members of initiative groups will have to have an identification document issued by the Central Election Commission and a personal identification document. These documents have to be produced to the voters. Signatures can be collected via picketing. No permission to picket is necessary if picketing takes place in locations other than those recognized by municipal authorities as unacceptable for picketing. Signatures can be collected from military personnel in Belarusian army units upon approval of the commander of the specific army unit during off-hours at the location specified by the unit commander. In order to collect signatures in a hall of residence members of initiative groups will have to observe visitor rules of the specific hall of residence.

Citizens cannot be forced to sign or be rewarded for signing. Rewards are recognized as money, gifts, other material values, discounts on prices for merchandise or preferential prices for services. The administration of an organization cannot be involved in signature collection during business hours.

Citizens, who are nominated as presidential candidates, cannot order persons in their employ to collect signatures during business hours. Signatures cannot be collected during business trips. Members of initiative groups cannot give away printed materials to voters during signature collection. Information materials containing biographic data about the persons that citizens sign up for can be provided to voters only for reading and have to be returned afterwards.

Coordinators of initiative groups will have to submit signature lists to the relevant election commissions on 21 August 2015 at the latest.