Belarus parliament elections

MINSK, 6 July (BelTA) – As of 6 July, district election commissions of Minsk Oblast registered 26 initiative groups to collect signatures in support of prospective candidates to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the sixth convocation, Chairman of the Minsk Oblast Election Commission Vadim Bondarenko told a press briefing, BelTA has learned.

“District election commissions continue to receive the documents for registration of the initiative groups of citizens to collect voters' signatures in support of prospective candidates. 37 applications were filed, 26 initiative groups were registered. One initiative group was denied registration in connection with violation of the electoral legislation,” Vadim Bondarenko said.

According to him, several more applications have been filed recently. They will be considered within five days. Vadim Bondarenko noted that the applications are open till 7 July. For example, the district election commissions in Zhodino constituency No. 64, Molodechno town constituency No. 72 and Zaslavl constituency No. 77 are to convene on 6 July to consider the registration of initiative groups.

The maximum number of initiative groups (four to five) were registered in Zhodino constituency No. 64, Slutsk constituency No. 67 and Molodechno town constituency No. 72. Signatures can be collected via campaign events, rallies and also door-to-door visits. The territorial commission has the information about such activities taking place and has not yet received any complaints and information about the violations said Vadim Bondarenko.

In his words, Minsk Oblast local authorities designated the venues that will be off-limits to election campaign events. The information on such venues is available on the official websites of the Minsk District Executive Committees. Vadim Bondarenko stressed that the authorities minimized the number of places prohibited for campaign events. These are mainly railway stations and bus terminals, areas within a radius of 50 meters away from buildings of the executive bodies, courts, prosecutor’s office and military units.

The nomination of candidates to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus kicked off on 3 July and will last through 1 August. Political parties and labor collectives can nominate their prospective candidates to the lower house of the Belarusian parliament. Nomination is also possible through the collection of signatures. As of 6 July, no documents to register prospective candidates to the parliament were submitted to the district election commissions of Minsk Oblast.