Interim reports of observer missions in presidential elections in Belarus published by experts from CIS

23 сентября 2015

Interim reports of observer missions in the presidential elections in our country were published by experts from the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Co-authors of the two texts are about fifty people from the ODIHR and more than 300 accredited representatives of the CIS countries and its structures. They noted a number of positive steps and successful innovations of the current election campaign, and specifically of its initial stages.

Western observers have identified that changes concern mainly the media and funds of the candidates. It was emphasized that three registered candidates have representatives in the CEC with an advisory vote. And at the level of commissions, teams of all four candidates for the post received places.

Most observers of the OSCE ODIHR drew attention to the openness of the pre-election atmosphere, but pointed to the fact that from the point of view of the opposition the selection was limited. The access to information concerning the elections is much more open than before, and the number of news sites covering the campaign, has increased significantly.

Western experts also confirmed the possibility of unlimited communication not only with the authorities but also with the candidates, members of political parties, media and NGOs. However, the ODIHR report contains a number of references to some unnamed people, including former candidates, who noted "the lack of equal opportunity."

The experts from the CIS countries, in turn, stressed that the early invitation of the mission helped to solve organizational issues and ensure systematic monitoring of the electoral process. It is noted as well, that Belarus has all the necessary legal, organizational and technical conditions for the international observation of the elections, which indicates the openness and transparency of the electoral process

In addition, according to the CIS mission, preparing for the upcoming elections is held consistently: nomination and registration of presidential candidates, as well as complaint investigation took place in accordance with the Code.

Perhaps the most fundamental difference in the two reports lies in the fact that the OSCE ODIHR stipulates that the presented pros and cons are only the conclusion of individual members of the mission. While observers from the CIS are not going to argue with their officially expressed view retroactively.