MINSK, 7 May (BelTA) - Certain work has already been done in Belarus to ensure electoral sovereignty, Chairman of the Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) Igor Karpenko said during a meeting with activists of Brest Oblast on 7 May, BelTA has learned.
"The amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus adopted at the national referendum in 2022 marked the beginning of a large-scale political modernization in our country, including the electoral system. On 25 February 2024, Belarus held the parliamentary and local elections on a single voting day. For the first time in Belarus, elections of the deputy corps were held in such a format and scale. The election campaign was held in accordance with the calendar plan approved by the CEC, in the manner and within the time frame established by law. In Brest Oblast, the elections were prepared and conducted by 229 territorial, district and 870 precinct election commissions, which included more than 10,000 people," Igor Karpenko said.
Members of the Council of the Republic were elected on 4 April. On this day, base-level local Councils of deputies held meetings to elect eight members of the Council of the Republic from each region and the city of Minsk.
"Another important political event in our country was the formation of a new constitutional body - Belarusian People's Congress. Some of the delegates joined the Belarusian People's Congress ex officio, but the majority were elected. Thus, 400 delegates were elected from civil society, 350 from local councils of deputies,” the head of the CEC said. “At the first meeting of the All-Belarusian People's Congress, the delegates elected the leadership of the Congress, approved the Military Doctrine and the Concept of National Security of the Republic of Belarus, which introduced the concept of ‘electoral sovereignty’ as an inalienable and exclusive right of the state to independently conduct elections and referendums in order to ensure the sovereignty of the people and the freedom of their choice under the supremacy of the Constitution and the national legislation, inadmissibility of interference in the electoral process."
"I would like to emphasize that only a truly independent and sovereign state can ensure electoral sovereignty and security. In this regard, we have done certain work on the legal and technological foundations of the electoral system," Igor Karpenko added.
