BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/09/2008

Odihr/Osce Not Surprised By High Early Balloting Figures

MINSK. Sept 28 (Interfax-West) - Director of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Janez Lenarcic is not surprised that over 26% of Belarusian voters cast their votes in early balloting.

These figures are a little high, but they do not come as a surprise, Lenarcic said in answer to a question from Interfax in Minsk on Sunday.

He also said that the OSCE would assess this and other facts after the election.

Earlier reports said that more than 26% of Belarussian voters had cast their ballots in early voting.

Turnout in early balloting is highest in Vitebsk region - 31%, with Gomel region coming second - 29% and Minsk last - 22%, Central Election Commission Chairperson Lidia Yermoshina said on Channel One national television on Sunday.

This figure was over 30% in the presidential election, she said. "But it is high, anyway, for early voting," she also said.

Parliamentary polls are being held in Belarus on Sunday, in which 110 deputies will be elected to the national parliament's House of Representatives.

Over 260 candidates are running, and about 60 of them represent the United Democratic Forces. Among the candidates there are about 30 current parliamentary deputies.

Nearly 6,500 polling stations opened in Belarus at 8 a.m. local time (9 a.m., Moscow time), the Central Election Commission told Interfax.

Source:

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2657398.html

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