Mechyslau Hryb: Local council members already appointed

Only puppets of the regime will be elected to the local councils.

Police Lieutenant General Mechyslau Hryb, a former chair of the Supreme Council of the 12th convocation, said it in an interview with charter97.org.

“In my opinion, little has changed in the local authorities in Belarus since the Soviet Union. It means that local councils almost don't have real power in the same way as it was in the Soviet times. As before, people don't want to be members of local council. They are not interested in it,” the politician said.

He adds that the authorities don't care how the “elections” will be carried out.

“They already know whom they will appoint members of the local councils. Voter turnout requirements has been cancelled, boycotting is forbidden. Voter turnout is not important. It doesn't matter how many people will vote – 10, 20 or 1,000. The 'elections' will be declared valid. Moreover, I think most constituencies will have only one candidate,” Mechyslau Hryb thinks.

The local council “elections” are scheduled for March in Belarus. Some representatives of the democratic opposition say they will run in the campaign explaining that it is an opportunity to collect signatures, canvass and talk to people.