The Central Election Commission of Belarus considers February 6, 2011 as favourable date for holding the country's presidential election, said CEC chairperson, Lydia Yermoshina. "We believe that this is the final date for the presidential election, which is favorable", the CEC head said replying to journalists' question whether the CEC to recommend the most suitable date for presidential elections.
Lydia Yermoshina added that for the present, the Central Election Committee has not discussed the specific date for presidential elections in Belarus, and this issue is political, in general. «For its part, the CEC will only watch the fact that between the date of termination of office and the fixing of the presidential election campaign there would be no less than three months», the chairman of the CEC said, BelTA informs.
The head of the CEC noted that the Central Election Commission does not intend to initiate new amendments to the electoral law before the presidential election. «Frequent changes in electoral laws are much more likely lead to illegality, than, conversely, work on compliance with the electoral process», Lydia Yermoshina said.
As an example, the head of the CEC named the current campaign on the elections of deputies of local councils, which was held under the new rules. «Many people in polling station’s commissions were not aware that a candidate may attend the counting of votes», Lydia Yermoshina said. «Moreover, many members of electoral commissions — who have been involved in election campaigns for a long time — feel too confident, they gain too much self-conceit, they carry a lot in an old way and do not so thoroughly study the innovations in the electoral legislation.
European electorate has still «time to grow to our level», Yermoshina
Also, the chairperson of the Central Election Commission at a press conference on the elections to local councils, explained big difference in the results of early voting and main voting in some districts. Lydia Yermoshina believes that this is due to opposition candidates’ agitation to vote on the scheduled election’s day precisely.
«It’s all subjective. We have not seen the election results yet. We have information only in words. It is possible neither confirm nor deny it. However, if the results of early voting actually differ from the main voting, I can explain this by agitation campaign of opposition candidates. Their supporters traditionally come to vote on election’s day. Therefore, I assume that there could be such a difference in results», Lydia Yermoshina said, Nasha Niva informs.
The head of the Central Election Commission also commented on the huge, comparing with majority of European countries, turnout. «The European electorate has still time to grow to our level», Lydia Yermoshina stated, adding that the final results of elections to local councils of deputies will be announced on Friday, April 30.
There will be held new elections at ten polling stations in the country, Yermoshina
The head of the Central Election Commission informed at the press conference that the reelections to local councils of deputies will be held in Belarus at ten polling stations. According to the CEC’s data, there were 21 293 deputies elected to local councils.
«At nine polling stations, the deputies are not elected, as gaining less than half of votes, at one of the stations, the elections were not held in connection with the death of a candidate», Lydia Yermoshina said.
According to the CEC head, in spite of that all the 1.495 local councils of deputies has been elected, «they should carry out adjusting sessions, form working bodies in the authorized composition during one month».
