Svislach: opposition activists are excluded from district election commissions
An unprecedented case in the history of electoral process has been recorded in the district center Svislach in the Hrodna region.
The Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada nominated four party activists – Mikalai Luksha, Mikhail Kazak, Aliaksandr Palubinski, and Zmitser Buzuk – as members of the district election commissions through collection of signatures and applications. Other three political activists were nominated for commission members in the same way.
Viktar Dziasiatsik, member of the Hrodna oblast department of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party, represented the party at a session of the administration of the Svislach district executive committee. He also was present at the administration session where the district election commissions were formed. The names of the commission members were not mentioned at the session, but it was announced that all candidates, expect for those with previous convictions, had been included in the commissions.
The party members and political activists received telephone calls from officers of the executive committee, who said they had been included in the district election commissions.
On 13 March, the district newspaper Svislatskaya Hazeta published the list of members the commissions. None of seven BSDP members and political activists has been included in the commissions.
Independent observers suppose this absurd situation may have been caused by interference of regional authorities or other services. As a result, representatives of the local democratic society have elegantly been removed from commissions.
