Belarus parliament elections

MINSK, 1 July (BelTA) – Democratic traditions got well established in Belarus, Head of the CIS observation mission Sergei Lebedev said as he met with Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina on 1 July, BelTA has learned.

“Democratic traditions and rules got well established in Belarus and became a fundamental thing in the country’s election process. It is very important,” Sergei Lebedev said.

The CIS mission now comprises 25 long-term observers. Their number is expected to increase to about 40, the head of the mission said. In his words, these are well-trained professionals. Many of them have observed elections before. Among them are representatives of the CIS Executive Committee, diplomatic corps, members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State. It is planned that the total number of CIS long-term and short-term observers will make up 350-400 people.

According to Sergei Lebedev, the CIS is marking the 15^th anniversary of the start of its election observation in 2016. The first CIS election observation mission was deployed to Belarus. This year the CIS observers are working at the Belarusian elections for the eighth time. Sergei Lebedev praised the experience of cooperation with the Central Election Commission of Belarus. He stressed that the nomination of representatives to the election commissions and candidates running for the parliamentary seats has always been held on alternative basis.