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MINSK, 20 April (BelTA) – It is time to strip ODIHR of its monopoly to monitor elections, and this de-monopolization process is already underway, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Aleinik said an interview with BelTA.
A large number of international observers monitored the presidential election in Belarus in January. Many invitations were sent through the parliament to representatives of various international structures, including ODIHR, but its representatives did not come to Minsk.
The committee chairman gave his take on the institution of foreign observers in the current conditions.
“For quite a long period of time, ODIHR held a monopoly for election observation. However, the situation in the international arena has changed dramatically and, in my opinion, this monopoly has already outlived itself. It is absolutely obvious that the West abuses its majority representation in this organization. The findings of their election observation missions in Georgia and Romania are another testimony to this,” Sergei Aleinik said.
“In my opinion, it is time to strip ODIHR of its monopoly to monitor elections, and this de-monopolization process is already happening. A large number of other authoritative international missions and observers do an excellent job of independently and objectively monitoring election campaigns,” he continued.
The chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security went on saying: “The presidential election in Belarus clearly showed that the missions from the CIS, CSTO, SCO, and the Pan-African Parliament were effective in monitoring the election campaign - a total of 500 foreign observers from 52 countries saw how open our country was. They produced an objective, unbiased assessment.”
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