CEC has something to hide

• 13.08.2008, 8:55

Mikhail Pashkevich, an observer from the United Civil party, hasn’t been allowed to attend a meeting of the Central Election Commission with representatives of international observers’ mission of OSCE/ODIHR, headed by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens.

As said by Pashkevich, having learned about his desire to be present at the meeting, the CEC was greatly alarmed. They were holding consultations for about an hour, and finally the head of the CEC legal department Nadzeja Kisyalyova gave a negative answer. Te explanation was strange: an observer has a right to attend sessions of the CEC, and it was not a session, but a meeting.

“What of it? If you are saying that everything is transparent, and you have nothing to hide, what harm an observer could do?” Pashkevich said.

Journalists were invited to the meeting however, it means that they were not fearing publicity of the developments of the meeting. They fear that the foreign guest would be given some information. Journalists won’t do that (they can only ask “difficult” questions). And an observer could do so, te UCP press-service informs.