MINSK, 22 November (BelTA) – Elections to the seventh-convocation House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus were totally overseen by observers, BelTA learned from Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina on 22 November.
The head of the Belarusian election organization agency pointed out that some 39,000 domestic observers and 1,030 international ones had been accredited to monitor the elections. “In other words, the elections were monitored as closely as possible,” Lidia Yermoshina said.
As many as 5,831 polling stations were opened as part of the election process. “How many of them is the OSCE concerned about? They think ballot boxes were stuffed with false bulletins at 13 polling stations and elections cannot be described as valid at 12 polling stations. Twenty-five polling stations in total or less than half a percentage point,” Lidia Yermoshina stated. The official underlined that the figure indicates the elections were fine even disregarding the fact that the OSCE's concerns have not been validated.
Only some observers were unhappy because they had been unable to see the vote count process, she added. Most of the observers were absolutely satisfied with the procedure, Lidia Yermoshina added. “Elections always have some wrinkles. But claiming that it happened everywhere?” the official expressed her doubts. She reminded that the presumption of innocence applies not only to the opposition but to pro-government candidates, election commissions, and all the civil servants involved in preparing the election campaign.
