MOSCOW, 17 September (BelTA) - Belarusian MPs as members of the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which is a part of the CIS observation mission, have started monitoring the elections to the Russian State Duma on 17 September, BelTA has learned.
“Our task is to monitor the electoral process. We will work all three days of the elections. On 20 September, after the preliminary results are announced by the CEC, we will issue a statement with the observation results,” Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic, Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly Commission on Foreign Policy Sergei Rachkov, who is coordinator of the group of observers from the Parliamentary Assembly, told the media.
According to Sergei Rachkov, there are no obvious violations during the State Duma elections. “So far, the situation has been calm. I can see that the Russian law is observed and there are no obvious violations,” he said.
“I am confident that we will prepare an objective conclusion,” stressed the coordinator of the group of observers of the Parliamentary Assembly.
This year's elections in Russia are held within three days for the first time – 17-19 September. The Belarusian MP considers this decision to be a good one. “It is a more convenient form of voting for citizens,” he said. Sergei Rachkov also said that as a representative of the legislative body he was interested to study the technical equipment of the Russian elections and the experience of electronic voting, which has been organized in several subjects of the Russian Federation as an experiment this year.
The delegation also includes Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on International Affairs Oleg Gaidukevich, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legislation Aleksandr Omelyanyuk, Deputy Chairperson of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on International Affairs Olga Petrashova and member of the Council of the Republic Standing Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance Andrei Shishkin.
Belarusian observers are visiting polling stations in Moscow, where they monitor the voting process. They also intend to hold meetings with the leadership of the factions of political parties in the State Duma and with the leadership of the Central Election Commission of Russia. They also plan to meet with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to the Russian Federation Vladimir Semashko.
