On 14 August election observer Uladzimir Shyla visited three precinct election commissions - #12, #13 and #14. None of them worked at about 5 p.m., though the working day ends at 7 p.m.

Mr. Shyla believes that such situation witnesses an imitation of the electoral process.

“I can state that the formation of the election commissions was formal – employees of state institutions were “asked” to become their members. That's why it is evident that these bodies are artificial and my visits there witness it as well,” commented the observer.

The same day Leanid Markhotka visited PECs #18, #19 and #20 with the same result: he couldn't find representatives of the commissions anywhere and nobody heard about them in the secondary schools where they were to have worked. Mr. Markhotka reported this situation to the secretary of the constituency election commission, who promised that the proper work of the commissions would be “organized” during the following day.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”