Homel: officials are included in district electoral commissions as representatives of public associations

At first sight, it’s difficult to reproach the Homel authorities in violations of the electoral laws: about a half or even more representatives of the electoral commissions belong to public associations. However, if we have a close look at them it becomes clear that these are the same officials who work at executive committees and head enterprises and state organizations. The city has four district electoral commissions, and their composition is almost identical. Each commission includes a representative of Belaya Rus, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), veterans, the Belarusian Women’s Union and the trade union of workers of state institutions. All these organizations are so-called ‘state NGOs’. There are also such associations as the union of military officers and the peace foundation.

Let’s look at the composition of the Tsentralny District Electoral Commission of Homel. It includes such people as Maksim Bibikau – a member of the central committee of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union who was nominated to the commission by this organization; Volha Bahdanovich – legal adviser of the Homel regional organization of the trade union of workers of state institutions; Andrei Harbachou – Deputy Chairperson of the Tsentralny District Executive Committee of Homel (was nominated by collecting electors’ signatures) The head doctor of the Homel regional polyclinic Aliaksandr Druian was included in the commission as a member of Belaya Rus. By the way, he, Harbachou worked in electoral commissions at the parliamentary election 2008, as well as the deputy chief sanitary doctor of the Homel region, Rastsislau Zinovich and the officer of the Homel Region Executive Committee Liudmila Ramankova. This time Zinovich was nominated to the electoral commission by the staff of his polyclinic and Ramankova – by electors’ signatures. Aliaksandr Staratsitarau, director of the Homel Hosplempradpryiemstva, worked in the regional electoral commission during the local election 2010 and in a constituency commission during the parliamentary election 2008, as well as the director of the Homel Trading Center Harant Piatro Stsepanenka. This time the both of them were nominated to the commission by collecting electors’ signatures. The head of the personnel department of the Tsentralny District Executive Committee Natallia Shumakova was included in the commission as a member of the Belarusian Union of Women.

The same situation can be observed in the Savetski District Electoral Commission. In particular, the head of the personnel department of the Savetski District Executive Committee Stanislau Chemezau was included in the commission as a representative of the public association Belarusian Peace Foundation, the Deputy Chairperson of the Savetski DEC Mikalai Maly – as a representative of the Belarusian Union of Military Officers. By the way, the both of them worked in electoral commissions during the local election in 2010 and the parliamentary election in 2008.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections