MINSK, 13 May (BelTA) – The international conference “Technologies of the electoral process and election monitoring” timed to the 15th anniversary of the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of IPA CIS Member Nations is taking place in Saint Petersburg on 13-14 May. The event is attended by Sergei Rachkov, Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, BelTA has learned.
On 13 May Sergei Rachkov spoke at the meeting to discuss international election observation and counteraction to foreign interference in electoral processes.
“Such a meeting has a practical value. We were able to listen to representatives of government agencies, parliamentarians, members of the expert community who gave their take on very important matters. The electoral processes, for example those of 2020 - early 2021, were marred by the increased external interference. I also mentioned the situation around the 2020 Belarusian presidential election when we saw serious external interference in the electoral processes, attempts to block polling stations at the end of the election day. This is believed to be one of the stages in a possible scenario of a so-called color revolution. It did not succeed in Belarus due to strong government bodies and law enforcement agencies,” Sergei Rachkov said.
According to him, participants of the forum agree on many things, including the important role of the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of IPA CIS Member Nations. “It makes a serious contribution to the training of the CIS international observers. Of course, we compared the activities of the OSCE/ODIHR, the CIS and the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly election observation missions. We also analyzed the activities of the OSCE/ODIHR,” the senator added. “We emphasized the importance of raising awareness of the work of the CIS election observation mission, including our international organization that provides methodological training for observers and participates in preparing election observation findings. From our point of view, this work has a very important legal focus, not a political focus, as in the case of the OSCE/ODIHR missions,” he added.
The conference focused on the use of information technology in the electoral process and new electoral procedures. The agenda also features methodology of the electoral process, principles and standards of international election observation in modern conditions.
