“Liberalization” in Belarusian way: 1 oppositionist out of 10 appointed to election commissions
- 12.03.2010, 8:41
All talks about liberalization in Belarus are just a deceit of the European community.
68881 people are to count votes in local elections in Belarus. Such a figure was announced on March 11 by the Central Election Commission. Oppositional parties have 76 members there, or 0.1% of all commission members. Oppositional politicians state that the authorities haven’t passed another test for liberalization, Radio Svaboda informs.
Mikalai Lazavik, Secretary of the CEC, says that political parties, both pro-regime and oppositional ones, will be represented by 1,572 persons. As he believes, it is a great progress as compared with the previous election.
“In total 113 members of political parties were appointed to the precinct election commissions. And there was only one oppositionist among them. And now there are 1,572 party members among them. You must agree it is a great progress,” Lazavik said.
A political analyst Uladzimir Rouda does not agree with such estimation.
“It is a microscopic figure, when we speak about local elections. It demonstrates that even those parties which had never been against Lukashenka are represented poorly. It is a total nonsense for European countries, as it is the aim of parties to participate in commissions, to control the process, to nominate its candidates and be engaged in the struggle for deputies’ seats. And they are not to give seats to bureaucrats as it is done in our country,” the political analyst is convinced.
Among party members who are members of the precinct election commissions, oppositionists make about 5%. It has happened so as oppositionists were enrolled as commission members reluctantly. The following figures show that eloquently: the United Civil Party nominated 281 members, and only 23 are on the commissions, the Belarusian Popular Front – 122 and 17 respectively. And the figures of the pro-regime parties are: the Communist Party of Belarus – 516 and 427, the Agrarian party – 132 and 131, he Republican Party of Labour and Justice – 358 and 342, the Social and Sports party – 434 and 432.
Uladzimir Rouda says: these figures reflect discrimination against oppositional parties.
“It confirms that all talks about liberalization are simply a deceit of the European community and European structures. That’s all, there is no liberalization in Belarus”.