Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 5 July (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko spoke in favor developing unified election standards in the OSCE at the plenary meeting dedicated to the formal opening of the 26^th OSCE PA annual session in Minsk on 5 July, BelTA has learned.

The head of state emphasized that there should not be any double standards in holding elections. For example, the OSCE/ODIHR has different requirements to different states, and has absolutely no requirements to certain states.

“Post-Soviet republics, as far as I remember, asked the OSCE to adopt the OSCE Charter (it is odd that this respectable organization still does not have a charter). Since the election processes are the most topical issues causing ambiguity in European states, let’s compile a list of requirements to the election process. Using these requirements, we will criticize or commend certain election processes. We do not have such requirements yet,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The president said that certain international observers see the election process in Belarus in a different way, have different requirements. “Therefore, it is high time we adopted comprehensive statutory documents regulating the operation of our organization,” he is convinced.

The head of state added that a constructive dialogue between Belarus and the OSCE/ODIHR has been rapidly developing in recent years. “To analyze the recommendations of the Bureau given after the presidential and parliamentary elections, Belarus set up an interagency group of experts. Its ideas will be used for the further improvement of the election legislation and its practice of application. We are going to work on it in a careful and thoughtful manner,” the Belarusian leader noted.

“We are willing to learn and are learning, including from you. But there should be no reproaches. We are open to dialogue, we are adopting the best foreign practices,” Alexander Lukashenko said.