9 of them are members of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, 11 – of the “Fair World” and two more are Mikalai Statkevich’s adherents who were nominated by collection of electors’ signatures. As many as three people were nominated to some of the election commissions, whereas no oppositionists were nominated to some others.
UCP members were nominated to half of the 20 constituency election commissions of Minsk. According to the deputy head of the Minsk city UCP organization Dzmitry Kavalhin, an accent on professionalism was made during the choice of nominees – most of them have already worked in election commissions of different levels several times, or even headed them. Among them there are even professional lawyers, such as the deputy head of the UCP Antanina Kavaliova.
The Belarusian Christian Democracy party (BCD) released a statement expressing indignation over the court decision delivered on 5 July against Vitebsk-based activist Alena Semenchukova. Alena received 10 days in custody for “showing defiance to policemen”: 34 leaflets calling for boycotting the “election” were found in activist's bag, the BCD press service reports.
According to the head of the Coordinative Board of the Mahiliou democratic coalition, Yury Novikau, democratic parties and NGOs of the Mahiliou region nominated 30 people to 12 out of 13 constituency election commissions of the region. 11 people were nominated by the Belarusian Popular Front Party and the NGO Movemvent BPF “Adradzhenne”, 10 – by the “Fair World” and 10 – by the United Civil Party.
The Belarusian Popular Front intends to nominate five candidates for the parliament in the Mahiliou region, including the head of the Mahiliou city BPF organization Siarhey Bytsikau and his deputy Viktar Makaranka, the both of who will run in Mahiliou.
Only four opposition members filed applications for being included into election commissions in Baranavichy – three representatives of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” and one representative of the United Civil Party.
The democratic forces of Babruisk almost unanimously boycott the upcoming parliamentary election. Only several people decided to run at it. The local branch of the Belarusian Christian Democracy even proposes launching an active boycott campaign.
Many of members of the independent trade union on Granit plant in Mikashevichy are going to boycott the “election” to the House of Representatives, because they have no illusions that the political campaign will comply with democratic norms.
The head of the Biaroza district branch of the United Civil Party Aliaksandr Kabanau intends to run for the Parliament at the Pruzhany electoral constituency #9. A member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party “Hramada” and the civil campaign “Tell the Truth!” Valiantsin Lazarenkau and a member of the United Civil Party Viktoryia Hryniuk will run at Ivatsevichy electoral constituency #11.
The parties in opposition began nominating their representatives to district election commissions: as of today, they claim they have nominated more than 300 members altogether (which is almost 3 times more than during the parliamentary elections in 2008). We observe intensification of targeted repression against the opposition structures and the civic society. At the same time, the recently detained journalist Andrzej Poczobut was released on bail.
