News for 14 жніўня 2008
Information about registration of initiative groups
According to the present legislation (Article 65 of the Electoral Code) nomination of candidates for deputies to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus can be conducted by means of collection of electors’ signatures by a group of not less than 10 citizens (initiative group). The list of the members of an initiative group (in which its head must be specified) and the application for registration of the initiative group must be submitted to a constituent electoral commission not later than 65 days prior to the Election Day. These documents are to be submitted by the person who seeks nomination as a candidate for deputy. The list must include the following data: name, patronymic, surname, birth date, profession, position (employment), place of work, place of residence and membership in parties for the person who intends to become a candidate for deputy; the name, patronymic, surname, birth date and the place of residence for each member of the initiative group.
Svetlahorsk: why electors cannot watch formation of precinct commissions?
On 12 August Svetlahorsk district executive committee (DEC) held a sitting on forming of precinct electoral commissions. The head of the DEC Siarhei Maksimenka did not admit to the sitting a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Vadzim Bolbas who wanted to watch the formation of the commissions.
Homel: activist of united democratic forces Ales Sivakou is dismissed from job
In Homel the democratic activist Ales Sivakou, the head of the initiative group of Kanstantsin Zhukouski, is fired from Homelkhlebpram enterprise. According to the activist, the marketing director of the enterprise told him to write an application for dismissal on his own free will, because otherwise he would be dismissed under an article of the Labor Code and the information would be put in his service record.
Hrodna: early agitation for pro-governmental candidates continues
The agitation for pro-governmental candidates acquires new forms. Colored posters of the candidate Siarhei Maskevich who intends to run at Tsentralnaya constituency #50 in Hrodna were hanged out at the check-up of the driveshaft factory. The posters include the candidate’s photo and CV and call electors to vote for him.
Mahiliou oblast court leaves in force verdict to Ales Chyhir
Mahiliou oblast court left unchanged the ruling of Babryisk town court towards the political activist Ales Chyhir. Judge of Mahiliou oblast court Mikalai Hladki read only the verdict and offered no explanations.
Vitsebsk: ‘Vitsbichy’ newspaper continues early agitation for pro-governmental candidates
The state newspaper Vitsbichy , #92 for 12 August 2008m, features an article about Alexander Lasiakin, who intends to run at Kastrychnitskaya constituency #20 in Vitsebsk. The very name of the article: ‘We will do it all, no problems!’ can be considered as Lasiakin’s electoral promise.
Vitsebsk: first sitting of precinct commission held in secret
The time and place of the first sittings of the precinct commissions of the village constituency #21, Chkalauskaya constituency #18 and Kastrychnitskaya constituency #20 of Vitsebsk were kept in strict secret.
Baranavichy: how much saliva and how many fingerprints will be enough?
‘How much saliva and how many fingerprints should I take to police to be left alone?’ asks a resident of Baranavichy, member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Meziak. For the first time his saliva and fingerprints were taken by the local police inspector. Then other policemen started calling demanding his saliva and fingerprints as well. ‘I have to explain to them that I have taken saliva and fingerprints already. It seems to me that it is a purposeful action so that one would not feel comfortable.’ The last such call Meziak received on 12 August at 11 pm.
Malaryta: commission has not been formed yet, but already has a chairman
On 7 August a human rights activist Uladzimir Malei addressed Malaryta district executive committee with the electors’ statement for his nomination to Malaryta Chyrvonaarmeiski precinct commission #62 at Mukhavets constituency #4.
Seventh registration denial to Brest oblast branch of Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada
The justice department has for the seventh time refused to register Hrodna oblast branch of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada. The members of the branch do not rule out that the officials substituted the documents for registration that were submitted by them.
Hrodna oblast: no opposition members in precinct commissions
Some of the commissions refused to provide any information on inclusion of representatives of the united democratic forces. According to preliminary information none of the opposition’s nominees were included in the precinct commissions of Hrodna oblast.
Brest: seven oppositionists included in precinct commissions
In Brest 7 out of 111 nominated democratic candidates have become members of precinct commissions for elections to the Chamber of Representatives.
Barysau electoral district #62: candidates of United Civil Party not included in local electoral commissions
On 13 August Pavel Zhuha, the head of the personnel department of Barysau district executive committee, informed a member of the United Civil Party Viktar Harbachou (who intends to run at Barysau town electoral district #62 that none of 45 candidates from the United Civil Party had been included in the local electoral commissions in this electoral district.
Krychau: police trying to find out whether Niarouny drinks vodka
Recently Siarzhuk Niarouny, the chief editor of a non-state newspaper Volny Horad, filed a complaint against the actions of the officers of Krychau district police department.
Svetlahorsk: no oppositionists at local electoral commissions
In Svetlahorsk district not a single representative of the united democratic forces was included in the local electoral commissions. This information was given to a member of Siarhei Daineka’s initiative group Sviatlana Mikhalchanka by the deputy head of the district electoral commission Uladzimir Kukar.
Baranavichy: 'Nash Krai' writes about pro-governmental candidates only
Issue #94 for 12 August 2008 of the Nash Krai newspaper (founded by Baranavichy city and district Soviets of deputies and the Baranavichy city and district executive committees) contains an article about a present deputy of the Chamber of Representatives, director general of the state enterprise Brestautadar Uladzimir Maisiuk, who is running at electoral district #7.
Baranavichy: no information for observers
On 12 August an observer of Helsinki Committee Viktar Tsiapin addressed the head of the personnel department of Baranavichy city executive committee Aleh Savos with the requirement to inform him about the time and place of the sitting of Baranavichy city executive committee and the presidium of Baranavichy city Soviet of deputies on forming of the local electoral commissions.
Baranavichy: 'Nash Krai' writes about pro-governmental candidates only
Issue #94 for 12 August 2008 of the Nash Krai newspaper (founded by Baranavichy city and district Soviets of deputies and the Baranavichy city and district executive committees) contains an article about a present deputy of the Chamber of Representatives, director general of the state enterprise Brestautadar Uladzimir Maisiuk, who is running at electoral district #7.
Ashmiany: police draw violation report on Ivan Kruk
On 19 July police confiscated from Ivan Kruk leaflets with a public statement of the united democratic forces on one side and a photo of Kruk on the other. Ivan Kruk states that these leaflets had no relation to the elections and even complained about the confiscation to the procuracy.
Orsha: pro-governmental candidate gives his electoral promises
According to independent observers the mass media of Orsha district conduct active early agitation for pro-governmental candidates to the Chamber of Representatives.
Minsk: pressurization of nominees to local electoral commissions increases
A potential candidate at Minsk south-western electoral district #99 Yury Karetnikau stated about the increase in pressurization of the members of his initiative group who had nominated their candidacies to the local electoral commissions belonging to this electoral district.
Mahiliou: members of district electoral commission #87 did not collect members for their nomination
The member of the republican human rights organization Belarusian Helsinki Committee held an independent investigation and concluded that members of district electoral commission #87 were nominated by collection of signatures without collecting such signatures at all. She paid visits to the places where the commission members had allegedly collected signatures for their nomination to the commission.
Mahiliou: observers were defrauded: local electoral commissions were formed without their participation
On Sunday an observer Zmitser Salauyou and a potential candidate Ryhor Kastusiou took to district electoral commission #85 minutes on nomination of representatives of the Belarusian Popular Front Party to local electoral commissions. ‘We asked members of the district electoral commission when the sitting on formation of the local electoral commissions would be held and were answered that nobody knew it. At 8.50 am on Monday I came to Leninski district executive committee of Mahiliou to find when the sitting would take place. They also answered that it was too early and nobody knew about it. I walked home and phoned again at 10 am. The commission answered that they had no information about it. At 12.30 pm its member Khadaniuk put up the receiver and answered that the sitting was held at 8.30 am. I asked her how they could do it, as I was there at 8.50 am and nobody knew when the sitting would take place. She said that it all really happened that way and told I should wait for three days for information on the results of the sitting,’ said Zmitser Salauyou.
Barysau: district electoral commission considers article about independent candidate as agitation
The issue of the non-state newspaper Borisovskiye Novosti for 5 August published an interview with its chief editor, Anatol Bukas. The secretary of Babruisk district electoral commission #63 Tatsiana Stasava phoned to the newspaper and demanded explanations in connection with this publication. Stasava also said she would direct a complaint to the central electoral commission’s supervisory board on implementation of the electoral laws by mass media because I her opinion this interview was a means of early agitation for a potential candidate.
Babruisk: potential candidate summonsed to KGB concerning ‘blast case’
‘I was summonsed to the KGB department because I am against the authorities and therefore am a suspect, that’s what I was told there’, says Alena Miadzvedzeva. ‘Lieutenant-colonel Aleh Akhremenka and the deputy chair of Babruisk KGB department Siarhei Zemliakou spoke with me. They showed to me pictures and identikits of different men. I asked them if whether I had to show them my passport to prove that I am not a man. Then they started asking whether I was I could shoot, as my husband was a military officer.
Hidden agitation in Maladechna
Molodechenskaya Gazeta, #8 62 (11356) for 9 August 2008, published an interview with a potential candidate Mikalai Zhgun, director of Maladechna state polytechnics. In the interview his working achievements are described.
Minsk: electoral meetings to be held in desolate places
Candidates for deputies have been given places for campaigning and meetings with voters. They are to meet with voters mostly in housing and maintenance departments, and campaign in parks and in green zones.
