MINSK, 30 August (BelTA) – The election process in Belarus is becoming more open, Special Coordinator of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) short-term observer mission, Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Kent Harstedt said as he met with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 30 August, BelTA has learned.
The OSCE representative thanked the President for the meeting. “It is vital to exchange opinions ahead of such an important event. This is the fourth time that I have observed the election campaigns in Belarus. I would like to note, and I emphasized this in the reports, that the election process is becoming better and more open,” Kent Harstedt stressed.
According to observers, the current election campaign in Belarus proceeds in a competitive spirit and features a big number of contenders for the parliamentary seats. The special coordinator highlighted the high level of cooperation of the CEC and the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the OSCE mission, drawing attention to the fact that inviting international observers to monitor elections is important, and the country's authorities are maximally open to cooperation.
Kent Harstedt said that he had visited Belarus many times, had been to different regions of the country. “Belarus is a beautiful country with wonderful people,” he said.
