On 4 August Homel oppositionists who intended to take part in the upcoming parliamentary election as members of precinct election commissions faced a sudden obstacle: the administrations of city districts of Homel refused to accept their applications saying they had a day-off.

On 4 August a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, Anatol Paplauny, came to the Chyhunachny District Executive Committee of Homel to pass an excerpt from the ruing of the regional branch of the party concerning the nomination of MPF members in precinct election commissions. “The administration refused to accept the lists of nominees to the commissions saying they had a day-off. As I insisted, the head of the organizational and personnel department of the executive committee Liudmila Miashkova, who is also a member of the Sialmashauskaya constituency election commission, went out to talk tome. She said that a personal exception would be made for me, to which I replied that they must decide whether they had a day-off or no, and I didn't need any “personal exceptions” from them,” said Mr. Paplauny.

The Tsentralny District Executive Committee didn't accept documents from members of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy. “Our people collected the necessary number of electors' signatures for their nomination to the commissions. On 4 August they brought the necessary documents to the Tsentralny District Executive Committee of Homel. However, their applications weren't accepted, due to a “day-off”. In fact, I think that our documents and applications won't be considered anyway, no matted what day they were passed, as the authorities don't have to report why they include this or that person in a commission,” commented Yury Klimovich, a coordinator of the BCD organizing committee.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”