Igor Karpenko
MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) - There are four possible dates for the 2025 presidential election in Belarus, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Igor Karpenko told the media after the meeting hosted by the president on 10 September, BelTA has learned.
“In line with the legislation, the presidential election should be held no later than 20 July. The decision on the date is made by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. We will hold a number of consultations with MPs as soon as the session opens on 17 September. I am not going to hide this information – there are four possible dates to conduct the presidential election in the country next year. In order to announce them, we need to hold consultations. The decision will be made by the House of Representatives during its session,” the CEC head said.
As for various insinuations on the internet regarding the date of the upcoming presidential election, Igor Karpenko said that that was not a new topic. “The problem of electoral sovereignty and non-interference in the electoral process is the topic which is relevant not only for us. It is relevant everywhere,” he said.
For example, the CEC head mentioned the recent attacks by hackers on the E-voting platform in Russia. “Why are you interfering in this process from the outside? There is E-voting underway there. Why do you care how people vote? People vote in their country, hold elections in their country,” he said. “Unfortunately, today there are a number of major geopolitical players who believe that elections should be used for certain purposes. We believe that elections are held in our country for our people, in our national interests in order to ensure the sovereignty and independence of our country. We will determine for ourselves who will be in the parliament, who will be the president, who will be in local councils. We, the Belarusian people, will do it.”
According to Igor Karpenko, the CEC is ready for any of the proposed dates to hold the elections. “We have already prepared the relevant methodological recommendations, information base. Now we are working out the visual concept for polling stations, posters - all the things we usually apply to elections,” the CEC head said.
Invitation of international observers was also discussed at the meeting with the president. “We touched upon a wide range of organizations that can be invited, not only the CIS and the SCO [observation missions from these associations], which monitored the process on the single voting day. The work proceeds according to the schedule,” Igor Karpenko said.
“The CEC is open for interaction with all the stakeholders involved in the electoral process. This is not only the system of commissions. These are also the local authorities which should take a close look at the location of the polling stations, access to them, created conditions, the compliance of equipment and so on. These issues were also touched upon by the head of state today,” the CEC head said.
“In line with the legislation, the presidential election should be held no later than 20 July. The decision on the date is made by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. We will hold a number of consultations with MPs as soon as the session opens on 17 September. I am not going to hide this information – there are four possible dates to conduct the presidential election in the country next year. In order to announce them, we need to hold consultations. The decision will be made by the House of Representatives during its session,” the CEC head said.
As for various insinuations on the internet regarding the date of the upcoming presidential election, Igor Karpenko said that that was not a new topic. “The problem of electoral sovereignty and non-interference in the electoral process is the topic which is relevant not only for us. It is relevant everywhere,” he said.
For example, the CEC head mentioned the recent attacks by hackers on the E-voting platform in Russia. “Why are you interfering in this process from the outside? There is E-voting underway there. Why do you care how people vote? People vote in their country, hold elections in their country,” he said. “Unfortunately, today there are a number of major geopolitical players who believe that elections should be used for certain purposes. We believe that elections are held in our country for our people, in our national interests in order to ensure the sovereignty and independence of our country. We will determine for ourselves who will be in the parliament, who will be the president, who will be in local councils. We, the Belarusian people, will do it.”
According to Igor Karpenko, the CEC is ready for any of the proposed dates to hold the elections. “We have already prepared the relevant methodological recommendations, information base. Now we are working out the visual concept for polling stations, posters - all the things we usually apply to elections,” the CEC head said.
Invitation of international observers was also discussed at the meeting with the president. “We touched upon a wide range of organizations that can be invited, not only the CIS and the SCO [observation missions from these associations], which monitored the process on the single voting day. The work proceeds according to the schedule,” Igor Karpenko said.
“The CEC is open for interaction with all the stakeholders involved in the electoral process. This is not only the system of commissions. These are also the local authorities which should take a close look at the location of the polling stations, access to them, created conditions, the compliance of equipment and so on. These issues were also touched upon by the head of state today,” the CEC head said.
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