BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

22.02.2006

17 CIS observers hail initial stage of election campaign in Belarus

MINSK. February 22, 2006. KAZINFORM. - In its interim report on Tuesday, the mission of CIS observers hailed the initial stage of a presidential election campaign in Belarus, but also drew attention to meager participation of political parties in electoral commissions as well as political pressure from the outside.

At the initial stage of the campaign, bodies of executive power and election committees in the republic have ensured a high level of the election process, as well as have demonstrated accurate and coordinated work, the report said, Kazinform quotes Itar-Tass.

The presidential election in Belarus is due on March 19. The report emphasized wide participation of labor collectives and pubic organizations in territorial and district electoral commissions, noting, however, meager participation of political parties.

Representatives of political parties make up only 2.6 percent in territorial commissions and less than one percent in district commissions. They are not represented at all in capital Minsk.

Observers also draw attention to the fact that the election campaign proceeds "against the background of political pressure from the outside".

"Unreasonably tough statements, biased commentaries, negative judgments from certain officials and agencies from some European organizations and the USA against Belarus are seen by CIS observers as a wish to predetermine a negative attitude of the world public and international observers to the results of the presidential election before it is finished," said the report by the mission of observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Source:

http://www.inform.kz/txt/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=139979

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