All news

600 int’l observers to monitor parliamentary elections in Belarus

The parliamentary elections will be held in Belarus on September 23
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MINSK, August 24 (Itar-Tass) — Over 600 international observers will monitor the parliamentary elections in Belarus, the chair of the central election commission, Lidya Yermoshina, told a news conference on Friday.

“The mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reports about 300 short-term and long-term observers. The CIS Executive Committee mentions the same number, plus-minus ten persons, i.e. there will be some 600 observers from international missions. Central election commissions will also send some people. May be, there will be some other experts, who enjoy an observer status,” she said.

Moreover, around 1,000 national observers, who work in the central election commission and district election commissions, have already been accredited. As soon as precinct election commissions start working, the number of national observers will increase significantly.

For instance, around 30,000 national observers monitored the presidential election in Belarus.

“According to the sociological service under the president’s administration, the voter turnout in the country on the average is expected to reach some 67 percent,” Yermoshina said. “Even in Minsk, where the turnout is usually the lowest one, it is expected to reach 51 percent. These are the figures of July. But it seems to me that Minsk’s turnout will be no less than 55 percent and the country’s one, especially in provinces, will exceed 70 percent.”

The parliamentary elections will be held in Belarus on September 23.