2010-03-12 11:30 / European Exchange, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Centre 'Viasna'

Balance in the election commissions between independent parties and organisations, and officials who are loyal to the regime
According to the new electoral code, the number of representatives from political parties and civil organisations should be brought up to at least a third of the commission members, and the number of officials should also be reduced to a third. The remaining seats should be occupied by representatives of workers’ committees and by candidates who have collected at least ten signatures. In addition, judges, state lawyers and the chairmen of the executive committees and the supervisory authorities are forbidden from becoming members of the election committees. (More on this topic can be found in Newsletter №1 from 04.03.2010.)