Yarmoshyna says about bias

Visa restrictions impede the international activity of the Central Election Commission, CEC head Lidziya Yarmoshyna says.

She told in an interview to BelaPAN the Central Election Commission sent a letter to the European Union asking about the grounds for a ban to enter Europe for CEC members. The answer from the General Secretariat of the EU Council reads: “The Council believes that the information provided in your letter does not give enough ground to lift restrictive measures of the EU. The Council holds the view that restrictive measures against you are justified.”

Yarmoshyna considers the reply to be “absolutely formal”. “No one looked into the essence of the complaint. We appealed against the illegal decision that restricts the right of CEC members to travel outside the country. The persons guilty or actions or inaction of the Central Elections Commission were not named,” she noted.

In Yarmoshyna’s opinion, the EU’s travel restrictions demonstrate the institution is “politically biased”. She thinks the decision “is not based on really proved facts and results of the observation” of the Belarusian elections.

Yarmishyna says the visa sanctions have a negative impact on CEC activity: “For the last two years, we have been deprived of an opportunity to take part in international conferences held in the EU countries. We were not able to participate in the events in Budapest on occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Association of European Election Officials.”

Besides, CEC members cannot observe the elections in the EU states. According to Yarmoshyna, “all our colleagues were shocked” as they learned about travel restrictions on CEC members.

Yarmoshyna said there were some people in the CEC new composition who are not subject to visa sanctions. “But we will not risk sending them to observation missions alone until they take part in observation with more experienced people. They need to see algorithms in action. Besides, a number of international events suppose participation of the CEC head and executive officers,” she said.