Party Leaders Call Elections "Undemocratic" :: Charter'97 :: News

Minsk, March 2. Opposition politicians, commenting to BelaPAN on the course of local elections, note that conditions for preparing and conducting the ballot testify to their undemocratic nature. Nonetheless, opposition parties engaged in the voting campaign. 201 candidates were registered from the United Civil Party (only 120 reached the finals though), BPF – 113 (111), Party of communists of Belarus – 262 (220), Liberal-Democratic Party – 190 (186). The main methods of their removal from the race, say the parties’ representatives, were “unjustified registration denials by electoral commissions, as well as exertion of pressure and threats on part of the authorities”.

“In fact, there was no real choice presented,” – said UCP leader Anatoly Lebedko in an interview to BelaPAN: “You know, election implies certain rules and standards, which had been totally overlooked”.

Same viewpoint was shared by the chairman of the BPF Vintsuk Vyachorka: “What they call elections here, has nothing to do with real choice. The electoral law didn’t change for the democratization and transparency. Electoral practice leaves no room for democracy. Foreign observers were denied access to polling constituencies.”

Communist leader Sergei Kalyakin mentioned strong administrative pressure, exerted on candidates. In his opinion, “candidates’ nomination and the very agitation campaign have been carried out with law violations on part of the government and exertion of pressure on the nominees”.

Representatives of the public association “Vesna” human rights center deem that in course of the preparation and implementation of the local electoral campaign they “ignored the principles of democracy, openness and transparency”.