Yarmoshyna tells OSCE/ODIHR about peculiarities of Belarusian “elections”

The leaders of the Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) and representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR mission discussed interaction during the “parliamentary elections”.

Journalists were not invited to the meeting.

As BelaPAN news agency learned from CEC spokesman Mikalai Lazavik, the ODIHR was represented at the meeting by mission head Antonio Milososki, deputy head Donald Bisson, election analyst Zoran Lucic and ODIHR Election Adviser Richard Lappin.

“The mission head offered to hold weekly meetings to discuss arising questions,” Lazavik said adding that CEC chair Lidzia Yarmoshyna handed 12 international observer certificates to mission representatives.

Lazavik noted the CEC already accredited 33 observers of the OSCE/ODIHR mission. 21 certificates will be handed to observers upon arrival in Belarus. It is supposed the OSCE/ODIHR mission will consist of 36 long-term and 270-short term observers.

According to the CEC spokesman, Yarmoshyna informed the mission leaders about the electoral legislation of Belarus and preparation of the parliamentary elections.

Milososki, for his part, announced mission's intention to study the work of the CEC and constituency election commissions, meet with electoral process participants and monitor coverage of the elections by the media.

Lazavik says the mission chair thanked the CEC for its remarks regarding the report by OSCE/ODIHR needs assessment mission that stayed in Belarus some weeks ago.

OSCE/ODIHR mission representatives plan to hold a press conference in Minsk on August 22.