MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) - Elections of the members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation took place in Belarus on 7 November, BelTA has learned.
Members of the base-level local councils of deputies in each region and Minsk City Hall cast votes in secret ballot for the candidates registered by the Central Election Commission.
Minsk elects its representatives to the Council of the Republic
Minsk elected eight members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus. Chairman of the Minsk City Hall Anatoly Sivak congratulated the elected officials on the new status. “I am sure that the programs that you have presented are just a part of your experience. You are professionals in your fields. Equipped with expertise and years of experience, you will be up to any task, able to solve complex problems at a legislative level,” the mayor said.
Grodno Oblast elects representatives to the Council of the Republic
365 deputies (69% of the total) took part in the meeting, it was recognized as legitimate. The results of the secret ballot were announced by chairman of the election commission Boris Fyodorov. Eight candidates were nominated, all of them were elected. Every candidate gained from 352 to 358 votes. The results of the secret ballot were endorsed by the participants of the meeting.
Members of the Council of the Republic elected in Minsk Oblast
Senators were elected by secret ballot. 620 deputies, or 85% of the entire parliamentary corps took part in the voting.
Mogilev Oblast elects its representatives to the Council of the Republic
Mogilev elected members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation. Secret ballot was held at the meeting of the joint base-level councils of deputies. Taking part in the voting were 573 MPs. They supported all the nominated candidates.
Brest Oblast elects members to the Council of the Republic
Taking part in the meeting were 496 senators. Each candidate to the Council of the Republic got from 490 to 493 votes by secret ballot.
Gomel Oblast elects representatives to the Council of the Republic
Senators were elected by secret ballot. Attending the meeting were 420 MPs from all districts of Gomel Oblast. Hopefuls to Belarus' upper house of parliament presented their programs.
Vitebsk Oblast elects members to the Council of the Republic
Senators were elected by secret ballot. Taking part in the voting were 621 out of 741 MPs. Participants of the meeting heard out the program of each candidate and made their choice. All nominated candidates were supported. According to Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Council of Deputies Vladimir Terentyev, newly-elected senators represent all sectors of the economic life of the country.
The Council of the Republic is a chamber of territorial representation. The procedure for its formation combines elements of election and appointment. Eight members are elected from each oblast and Minsk by secret ballot, while eight more senators are appointed by the president. The upper house of parliament has a total of 64 members. Almost all of them work pro bono. The chairman of the Council of the Republic, the vice speaker and chairpersons of standing commissions are full-time officials who get paid.
The Central Election Commission will announce the results of the elections on 12 November.
Photos by Maksim Guchek, Leonid Shcheglov, Oleg Foinitsky, Vadim Yakubenok, Sergei Kholodilin, Aleksandr Khitrov
