Party of Communists of Belarus Decides to Boycott Election to Local Deputy Soviets

Source: www.charter97.org

Another stage of election campaign of local Soviets’ deputies ends today. Candidates for deputies, who were nominated by signatures collection, as well as by labour collectives or political parties, are to submit necessary documents for check by election commissions. A day before an extraordinary congress of the Party of Communists of Belarus (PCB) was held in Minsk. The forum of 250 delegates has recommended all PCB nominees for deputies of local councils to withdraw from the election race.

’Taking in consideration the words of Lukashenka that the presidential elections were rigged, and the fact that our representatives haven’t been admitted into election commissions, the congress recommended not taking part in the local election. Candidates are to submit signatures collected by initiative groups, but we won’t take part in the election, said the member of the PCB Central Committee Siarhei Vazniak.

’Firstly, Lukashenka recently announced about rigging the election,’ the leader of the party Siarhei Kaliakin said. ‘Secondly, the practice of our participation in this election has shown that none of opposition parties’ representatives has been admitted to election commissions. The regime acts as usual. It’s a farce, and we cannot ourselves to participate in fooling our voters.’

Kaliakin assures that the PCB enjoys support. More than 70 000 signatures have been collected for its candidates. ’However, the PCB does not recommend its candidates to participate in this farce,’ he added.

As said by Siarhei Vazniak, the PCB had about 150 potential candidates. And the largest number of candidates for deputies has been nominated by the United Civil Party – up to 200 candidates. The Belarusian People’s Front party has nominated 132 candidates.

Because of the law amendments, sheets with signatures are to be submitted together with other documents, in particular, with income declaration. The process of candidates’ registration is to take place on 5 – 14 December.