Yarmoshyna says nominating Statkevich a candidate is "provocation"

The head of the Central Election Commission of Belarus (CEC) does not approve “election” boycotting.

“There are attempt of provocations. Certain persons who are convicted, imprisoned or on the run make attempts to take part in the campaign,” Lidzia Yarmoshyna said Wednesday at a meeting with CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev, the head of the CIS observation mission, Interfax news agency reports.

“They try to bring an ordinary criminal case to the republican level,” the CEC head noted hinting at imprisoned former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich.

Yarmoshyna also noted “the attempts of organizing pickets for election boycotting”. She explained the Belarusian legislation does not forbid to call for non-participation in elections. “But it cannot be approved from the point of view of international political traditions,” the CEC head said counting that international observers would pay attention to the fact. According to Yarmoshyna, the facts of appearing “illegal printed materials and leaflets” were already recorded. “This can be regarded as a provocation against holding elections in the country,” the chairperson of the Central Election Committee said.

She noted in a conversation with Levedev that “the arrival and start of work of the CIS mission is a pleasant event”. “We host this mission as our friends, as well-wishing critics,” Yarmoshyna said adding that “Observers have not had and will not have any problems with contacts with the Central Election Commission.”