Parliamentary Election: CEC Continues Appeal Consideration: Homel and Brest Regions

On 23 September the Central Election Commission heard the appeals of unregistered candidates from Homel and Brest regions.

In Homel region among satisfied appeals there are appeals of:

Viktar Khomich, PCB, the reason for denial in registration – failed to indicate 5 775 BYR in the income declaration (the cost of a bottle of vodka written off by the trade union for the anniversary of the organization);
Alexander Karniyenka, the reason for denial in registration – distribution of Five Plus coalition leaflets;
Yury Varonezhtsaw, UCP, the reason for denial in registration – inaccuracies in income declaration; the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Siarhei Siarheyenka, PCB, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Mikhail Silivonets, PCB, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Marat Afanasyew, UCP, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Valery Putsitski, BPF, the reason for denial in registration -- distribution of Five Plus coalition leaflets;
Leanid Nevar, the reason for denial in registration – inaccurate data in the questionnaire: the registered address of his residence is not his actual living address.

CEC dissatisfied the following appeals:

Siarhei Yarmak, Party of National Consent, the reason for denial in registration – lack of registered address of residence in a district;
Maryna Kimel, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Halina Bialova, BPF, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Vasil Palakow, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Yury Zakharanka, the reason for denial in registration – over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Yury Chyzhonak, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Mikalai Yahorankaw;
Ludmila Krasnaselskaya, UCP, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Leanid Arlow, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration; over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Henadz Suvoraw, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Dzmitry Shkulkow, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Natalla Siardziuk, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Leanid Sudalenka, UCP, the reason for denial in registration – inaccurate data in the questionnaire: the off-hour job indicated as the main place of work;
V. Herasimenka, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration.

About some appeals in Homel region in more detail:

Halina Bialova (BPF) appealed the decision of Homel-Central election district # 35. The reason for denial in registration – inaccurate data about her income. She failed to indicate 90 000 BYR (about 45 USD) she received for purchasing teacher’s books needed by any teacher in their work. In her speech H. Bialova pointed out that money was not taxed. CEC did not satisfy her appeal.

Viktar Karniyenka appealed the decision of Homel-Pramyslovaya election district # 37. the reason for denial in registration -- over 15% of signatures recognized invalid.
Viktar Karniyenka says: “The district election commission did not present any reasons why certain signatures had been recognized invalid. They did not show us any documents. Yury Zakharanka who was present at the same session confirms that. On 17 September after the session I personally asked the secretary of the district commission to give me the reasons why the signatures had been recognized invalid. The secretary refused to show me anything in a categorical form. The incident happened in the presence of OCSE long-term observer. If only I had an opportunity to find out who of the voters had allegedly refused from their signatures. Then I would be able to provide CEC with arguments which demonstrate that district election commission was biased towards me personally. The district commission demonstrated their attitude to me very clearly. Members of my initiative group collected 12 thousand signatures. That really irritated commission secretary Tamara Hryshchanka, and she asked to them to tell me to “stop bringing that rubbish to the commission”.

The example of the satisfied appeal:

Yury Varonezhtsaw appealed the decision of Homel-Central election district # 35. The reason for denial in registration – inaccurate data in the income declaration. Varonezhtsaw declared income of 3 360 BYR during 2003. At the same time, the district election commission checked his mobile phone bills and found out that he paid 180 000 BYR.
The Central Election Commission had an argument about the case.
CEC member without the right to vote Uladzimir Nistsiuk (Belarusian Social Democratic Party “Narodnaya Hramada”) said: “A candidate is put in such conditions that he becomes answerable for his expenditures. He said that he spent his own savings. If there are bodies which have the right to carry out investigation then they should deal with that. The election commission is not the agency empowered to conduct investigative actions. That’s why the district election commission went beyond its commission. This is violation of the legislation regulated by the Criminal Code. I suggest CEC should cancel this decision without hesitation because it contradicts the Constitution”.

Ales Bialatski: “How can you judge the morality of a person who worked in an NGO which was liquidated? We all know that 53 NGOs were shut down. Hundreds of people were left without a job with work-record cards in hands. Hundreds of people are hardly making ends meet but still stand for their beliefs. There are no reasons to say that they have no morality because they have no or low income”.

Lidia Yarmoshyna: “Income declaration of a candidate is not a secret because it characterizes the potential people’s representative. Almost all competitors who used to work in NGOs and keep working there claim they are working as volunteers. I wonder what they earn their living with and why they keep working there. But this is outside the competence of the Central Election Commission. I am very sorry that the bodies which are supposed to investigate such cases failed to do that. I hope some day they will deal with that. That’s why I have no grounds to support the decision of the district commission. Varonezhtsaw is registered as a parliamentary candidate”.

Brest region: CEC satisfied the appeals of:

Andrei Sumar, over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Yury Hubarevich, BPF, inaccuracies in income declaration;
Yakaw Kachalowski, PCB, inaccuracies in income declaration.

Rejected appeals of:

Halina Zaitsava, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration (she failed to indicate a bonus in her income);
Anatol Kisel, the reason for denial in registration over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Valantsin Ulasiuk, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration;
Mikalai Kupala, the reason for denial in registration over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Uladzimir Zamkavets, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration (he failed to indicate 66 000 BYR);
Viktar Pawlukovich, the reason for denial in registration -- inaccuracies in income declaration, over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Alaksei Baran, over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Alexander Chynko, over 15% of signatures recognized invalid;
Uladzimir Viarenich, PCB, absence of a local party structure on the territory of the district.