MINSK, January 27. /TASS/. Belarus’ upgraded electoral system has ensured the protection of the country’s electoral sovereignty, a senior Russian lawmaker said.
"I would like to note that the upgraded electoral model in Belarus has helped to ensure the electoral sovereignty and the observance of the interests of all participants and to promoted the development of civil society," said Viktoria Abranchenko, a deputy speaker of Russia’s State Duma, or lower house of parliament, and the coordinator of the monitoring group from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
"The openness and transparency were confirmed by many international observers and foreign media reporters," she said, pointing to the "high status of international observers and the accredited foreign media."
She emphasized that the presidential election in Belarus was "democratic, competitive, transparent, direct, open, free, and fair."