There will be no changes in the formation of election commissions, says an official reply from Mr. Kastsiukevich, deputy chair of Baranavichy city executive committee.

Local pro-democratic activist Viktar Syrytsa, who urged the city’s executive officials to reform the formation of election commissions, says that “in Baranavichy, just like across Belarus, polling stations elections commissions are chaired by managers of state-owned enterprises and organizations, while their members are traditionally the employees of the same enterprises.” “Therefore, I suggested that the city executive committee should not form election commissions with the use of the “employer-employees” principle, but recruit representatives of various political parties and NGOs instead. I believe that these measures could make the election process more transparent, and the elections themselves more fair and democratic,” says Mr. Syrytsa.