Yury Chavusau: Nominating of KGB candidates noticed

Politologist Yury Chavusau assesses peculiarities of this year's “election campaign”.

“The number of opposition representatives in district election commissions is smaller than that in constituency commissions. They will work only in 1% of district commissions. The figure is even smaller than in the previous 'election'. The authorities want to keep full control over the most dangerous for them stage of the election campaign – vote counting and announcement of results. We can describe these 'elections' as an administrative process. So it turns out that the authorities have their own “election game', while the opposition's game relating to the 'election' participation format is in another dimension,” Yury Chavusau told Radio Svaboda in an interview.

“In comparison with the previous 'elections', there are more young people among pro-governmental candidates. It can change the image of the 'house of representatives' as a preretirement sump. Instead of a place to launch a career, the 'parliament' turned into a place to end it. But more and more people who can be characterized as people loyal to authorities are nominated.

It is the first time when candidates collaborating with the KGB have been noticed. The 'General Zaitsau's Group', which possibility is being discussed in the opposition, can become a reality. It might be an indirect sign that the role of the 'parliament' in the acting regime will probably grow due to MPs qualitative composition,” the politologist thinks.