MOSCOW, 30 September (BelTA) – Belarus is initiating the development of universal standards for evaluating elections in the OSCE countries, BelTA learned from participants of the session of the expert club held in the Embassy of Belarus in Moscow on 30 September to discuss results of the latest parliamentary elections in Belarus and Russia.
Tatiana Biryuleva, Senior Adviser in the Second Department for CIS States of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Russian observers, who work as part of CIS missions and OSCE missions had unambiguously positively evaluated the latest elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. “The common opinion holds that the elections were transparent, open, and highly organized. The elections took place in a calm environment,” stressed the official.
Speaking about the evaluation of elections by various missions, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Igor Petrishenko stated that there is no approved list of election monitoring standards. “We can see that they are handpicked for every country and every election campaign. Sometimes the standards are stricter, sometimes they are more relaxed,” he said. The Ambassador believes it is necessary to work out universal standards for evaluating elections at least in the OSCE format, if not the global format. Belarus is an OSCE member.
Igor Petrishenko also said he hopes that the new parliaments in Belarus and Russia will take an active part in legislating the integration processes in the Union State of Belarus and Russia as well as other forms with regard to the equality of rights of Belarus' and Russia's citizens.
The diplomat reminded that the newly elected parliamentarians will have to send delegates to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia. “It is highly likely that MPs from the previous convocation will be sent, thus preserving continuity in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly and continuing the policy of parliamentary support for integration processes,” said the Ambassador.
