Aleh Hulak: “Vast majority of refusals of registration have formal grounds”

Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Aleh Hulak, observing a process of considering of complaints in the Central Election Commission, noted that shortcomings of the election laws were revealed during the consideration:

“On September 3–4, the Central Commission on Elections and National Referendums considered complaints of citizens, who hadn’t been registered as MP candidates by district election commissions. The CEC received 52 complaints: seven from the Mahilypu region, eight from the Hrodna region, five from the Homel and Minsk regions each, four from the Brest region, three from the Vitsebsk region, and 20 complaints from Minsk, the campaign “Human Rights Activists for Free Election “ reports.

Following the results of the 3–4 September sitting, the CEC adopted decisions to register eight MP candidates: Iryna Yasevich (Vitsebsk-Chkalauski constituency #18), Mikhail Silivonets (Zhytkavichy constituency #32), Yury Rubtsou (Homel-Savetski constituency #34), Ivan Shcharbakou (), Alyaksandr Bukas (Barysau constituency #62), Volha Shokhanava (Autazavadski constituency #92, Minsk), Uladzimir Navasyad (Svislachski constituency #94, Minsk), Vasil Karankevich (Homel- Savetski constituency #34).

Thus, 284 MP candidates, among them 79 representatives of the United Democratic Forces, out of 365 applicants (five people withdrew) are registered now.

The most common grounds for refusal of registration were unreliable information in tax return declarations and signatures annulment. For example, an old car, a bike or a trailer, given on trust 10 years ago, but still registered in traffic militia, are not mentioned in a declaration. Signatures were commonly annulled for signature sheets contained signatures of people leaving in different city districts, or signature lists were authorised by a wrong executive committee.

Head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Ales Hulak, observing a process of considering of complaints in the Central Election Commission, noted that shortcomings of the election laws were revealed during the consideration: “Vast majority of refusals of registration have formal grounds. It is obvious, that many procedures of candidates registration present formal obstacles, that have no relation to ensuring of the right to vote and the right to be elected.”