Salihorsk: executive committee officials and employees of state-run institutions became members of election commissions

The only newspaper in the district that published information about the place of work and positions of district commission members was Niasvizhskiya Naviny. It published the list of members of district election commission # 72. Besides the names of commission members it also indicates how they were nominated, and provides information about their place of work and position.

Out of 13 commission members, 6 occupy various posts in Niasvizh and Kletsk executive committees. Among them there are Alexander karniushkin, head of ideological department of Niasvizh district executive committee; Vasil Siamukha, head of labor, employment and social defense department of Kletsk district executive committee, Valiantsina Yafimchyk and Hanna Sarokina, chief officers of organizational departments of both administrations, etc.

Besides local officials, the commissions are composed of employees of state-run organizations, who are subordinate to the executive branch: head of Kletsk branch of electric networks company, head of statistics department of Niasvizh district, deputy head of a collective farm, head of personnel department of local utility service company, and a police officer.

Only one representative of pro-democratic forces has a seat in the commission: pensioner Mikalai Zhuk, member of the United Civic Party. However, it should be mentioned, according to our observer at Niasvizh district, there were no more nominations for commission membership from pro-democratic forces.

At its first session the commission elected its governing bodies (all of them represent the executive power): A. Karniushkin was elected head of the commission, V. Siamukha – deputy head, and I. Tsikhonka (deputy head of the executive committee’s department for juvenile affairs in Niasvizh) was elected the commission’s secretary.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections