Lidziya Yarmoshyna refuses to hold new election at Krychau election constituency No. 83

The head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna refused to hold new elections of deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus at Krychau election constituency No. 83. The reason for the refusal to hold elections was that the term of the deputacy of Uladzimir Krautsou, elected to the House of Representatives in this constituency, wasn't over.

The appropriate response from the Central Election Commission, signed by its chairperson Lidziya Yarmoshyna, was received on New Year's Eve by a former candidate for the House of Representatives at Krychau constituency No. 83, civil activist Valery Karankevich.

We should remind that on 22 December the former candidate for the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Karankevich sent a statement to the head of the House of Representatives Uladzimir Andreichanka and the chairperson of the CEC Lidziya Yarmoshyna. Referring to the absence of Mr. Krautsou in constituency No. 83, he asked the authorities to offer the latter to resign from the Parliament, after which new election could be held in conformity with the legislation and the Constitution of the Republic Belarus.

President Aliaksandr Lukashenka has appointed Uladzimir Krautsou chairman of the Hrodna Regional Executive Committee. Therefore Valery Karankevich, referring to the relevant articles of the Belarusian legislation, states that Mr. Krautsou can not actually perform his parliamentary duties in Krychau election constituency No. 83.

“A response from the CEC has come quite quickly, but it is just a come-off in its essence”, commented Valery Karankevich. “Meanwhile, Lidziya Yarmoshyna writes nothing about the essence of my application, in which I give precise references to a number of articles of the Law "On the Status of a member of the Council of the Republic of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus", from which it is clear that Uladzimir Krautsou can not perform the duties of a member of the House of Representatives in Krychau constituency No. 83. It sounds like a funny story – the governor of Hrodna region remains an active member of the House of Representatives from the eastern part of Mahiliou region.

Now I am waiting for the response of the chairman of the House of Representatives Uladzimir Andreichanka, after receiving which I will plan my next steps. It is possible that I will have to go to court on this issue."