Belarusians Observed Elections to European Parliament :: Charter'97 :: News

The delegation of the European Coalition “Free Belarus” took part in the observation of the European parliament elections that took place in the enlarged European Union on June 13. In the framework of the visit to the federal land Schleswig-Holstein, the delegation met with Heide Simonis, prime minister of the federal land Schleswig-Holstein, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Federal minister of economic cooperation and development, Dr. Gabriele Koetschau, vice prezident of Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein. This visit was organized on their initiative in cooperation with Belarusian branch of Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The basic program of the visit was centered on the election campaign of the member of Social Democratic party of Germany (SDP) Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk, who was nominated to the European Parliament from the Land Schleswig-Holstein. After the meeting with the candidate the Belarusian delegation got acquainted with the methods and ways employed for carrying out election campaigns in Germany, talked to workers of election headquarters and SDP activists, who participated in the campaign for Mr. Piecyk. As an outcome of the campaign, after the results have been drawn up, Mr. Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk has been elected a deputy of the European Parliament again. The members of the delegation congratulated him on this occasion.

Numerous meetings of the delegation’s members were also held in one of the largest educational institutions of Germany – Kiel University, and in other institutions of this city. At the meetings the problems of the EU enlargement and prospects of Belarus in this sphere were discussed. The importance of contacts between Belarus and Germany at he level of civil society has been emphasized. The delegation of the “Free Belarus” also met representatives of the Young European Federalists, and organization that is occupied with European values promotion among the young generation of the united Europe. One of the days the delegation visited neighboring Denmark, where the Days of German minority in this country were taking place at that moment.

On Sunday, June 13, the delegation of the “Free Belarus” visited some polling stations, and was present while votes were counted at one of them. In the evening, at 6 p.m., right after the voting ended, the ballots box was opened in presence of the Belarusians, who where the first to know the results of the voting at this polling station. The members of the delegation unanimously noted the competing character of the agitation, unquestionable democratic nature of the elections, absolute transparency of the ballots counting system.

In 2004 there where 14, 670 contenders for 732 places in the European parliament. More than 338 millions Europeans having the right to vote have been entered in the lists of voters.

Pictures:

Belarusian delegation and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Federal Minister on Economic Cooperation (forth from the left)

Meeting with the member of the European parliament, SDP candidate Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk(forth from the left)

Studying the ballot at one of the polling station on the day of elections

Mrs. Gabriele Koetschau, Vice-President of the parliament of the Land Schleswig-Holstein

Belarusian delegation with the members of the election commission at one of the poling stations on the Election Day

Votes counting at the European Parliament elections started

Belarusian delegation observes counting of ballots at the elections to the European parliament

At the polling station. On the left – the table where the ballots are counted. On the right – counted ballots are put

Election commission is counting votes

Filling of the final report by the election commission

A conversation with the SDP activist on the street during the campaign for Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk

Young citizens of Denmark make European choice

One of the advantages of the EU is absence of borders. At the border of Germany and Denmark