News on the topic: elections-2008
11.07.2008 Zhlobin: nominee to electoral commission is pressurized by financial police
At 10 p.m. on 10 July the resident of Zhlobin, entrepreneur and public activist Anatol Papou received a telephone call from a man who introduced himself as a worker of the financial police Karotki. He explained that he was standing at the door of Papou’s private house and needed to hand a writ to him. By this writ the activist was invited to the local department of financial police on 14 July for filling in an income declaration. ‘I don’t have to do it, because my only source of income is my business activity. As I haven’t ever been summonsed to the financial police before, I think it is connected with my public activities and my nomination to a district electoral commission,’ commented Papou.
11.07.2008 Hrodna: pressurization of democratic nominee to electoral commission
In Hrodna the director of Hrodna electro-technical college Dzemchanka demanded that Alexander Pahuliayeu, teacher of this college, revoked his candidacy from Hrodna village district electoral commission #52. Pahuliayeu has been nominated there by the United Civil Party.
11.07.2008 Homel: authorities prohibit collecting signatures for nomination of candidates to electoral commissions
The resident of Homel Yanina Kavalchuk has complained to RFE/RL that obstacles have been put to her while she was collecting signatures for nomination of the representative of the Independent trade union of radio electronic industry Viktar Kazou to Homel-Navabelitskaya district electoral commission #36.
10.07.2008 Mikalai Charnavus is deprived of building because of intention to run at the parliamentary elections
The political activist Mikalai Charnavus stands in the single list of candidates to the parliament, composed by the United Democratic Forces. His candidacy has been nominated by the NGO For Free Development of Business. Mr. Charnavus intends to run at Baranavichy western electoral district #5. He states that the authorities started harassing him for it. At present he is deprived of the building side for a café.
10.07.2008 Mahiliou: democratic activists state their intention to be present during the formation of electoral commissions
The local democratic activists have addressed the authorities of Mahiliou with the request to inform them about the place and time of the sitting of Mahiliou oblast executive committee and the presidium of Mahiliou oblast soviet of deputies at which the lists of members of electoral commissions will be adopted.
10.07.2008 Mahiliou oblast: about 100 candidates are nominated to electoral commissions
As said by Yury Masiuk, main specialist of the staff department of Mahiliou oblast executive committee, the majority of the nominees are presented by the pro-governmental ‘state NGO’ Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM) and the veteran association. There are also nominees from political parties and those who were nominated by collection of citizens’ signatures. It is quite interesting to see, who of the nominees will be included in the electoral commissions by Mahiliou oblast authorities.
10.07.2008 Another ‘electoral campaign’ to start in Belarus on 14 July
The campaign on election to the Soviet of the Republic is to start on 14 July, said the secretary of the Central Electoral Commission Mikalai Lazavik.
10.07.2008 Hooliganism or intimidation?
In the night of 8 July unknown persons have smashed the windows in the car belonging to a Hrodna politician, member of the BPF Party Siarhei Antusevich. Mr. Antusevich is going to run to the parliament at Hrodna central electoral district #50.
10.07.2008 Brest oblast: BSDP ‘Hramada’ nominates candidates to electoral commissions
According to Ihar Maslouski, head of Brest oblast organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, 26 candidatures for inclusion to the 16 district electoral commissions have been passed to Brest oblast executive committee. What concerns polling station commissions, the party members want to nominate their representatives to the majority of them (more than 20 out of about 40 at each electoral district). The candidates to the electoral commissions will be nominated both on behalf of the party and by collection of signatures among citizens.
10.07.2008 Belarus officially invites BDIHR OSCE to the parliamentary elections
On 9 July in the evening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus sent official invitation to the Bureau of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE for monitoring of the parliamentary elections in Belarus.
09.07.2008 Orsha region: representatives of United Democratic Forces are nominated to electoral commissions
A sitting of Orsha regional council of the coalition of the United Democratic Forces summed up the results of nomination of candidates to district electoral commissions by collection of signatures. It is necessary to collect at least 100 signatures for nomination of a person to an electoral commission.
09.07.2008 Homel: the number of electors at Mazyr electoral district exceeds the average by 26%
Mazyr electoral district #42 includes 80 722 electors, which exceeds the average number of electors per electoral district by 26%, which contradicts to paragraph 6 of Article 15 of the Republic of Belarus.
09.07.2008 ‘Belaya Rus’ nominates 110 members to electoral commissions
The pro-governmental NGO Belaya Rus, which has about 70 000 members, has chosen 110 ‘reliable’ representatives for delegating them to the electoral commissions. Some other members of this party will also take part in the upcoming election to the Chamber of Representatives in the capacity of candidates.
09.07.2008 Presidium of United Democratic Forces applies to procuracy
On 8 July the presidium of the United Democratic Forces decided to apply to the procuracy in connection with KGB pressure on the UDC candidate, resident of Kobryn Alexander Mekh, who was fired from Beltransgas.
09.07.2008 Oppositionists are searched and arrested all over Belarus in connection with blast at the official Independence Day
These days Belarus is covered by a wave of searches, arrests and summons to the police. Public activists are interrogated in connection with the blast which had taken place in Minsk on 4 July in the morning, at the concert which was dedicated to the official Independence Day.
