MINSK, 10 August (BelTA) – Queues at polling stations do not have an impact on the results of the voting, Chairperson of the Belarusian Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina told the media, BelTA has learned.
“Queues at polling stations cannot be a reason whatsoever to doubt the openness of the election. Polling stations should close at 20:00 in accordance with the law. But there were crowds of people that could just arrange pogroms. There were a lot of people acting aggressively. They all were supporters of the alternative candidate, the so-called protest electorate. Therefore the Minsk authorities took a decision (it was not the decision of the Central Election Commission) to allow polling stations to work after hours until the last person on the queue casts their vote. Therefore these data are probably the most complete data. The bulk of voters did have an opportunity to cast their ballots even after closing hour,” Lidia Yermoshina said.
She also stressed that this situation can be used as a ground for filing a complaint to recognize the election as invalid “at least at these polling stations. Yet, this does not influence the results of the voting,” she said.
Lidia Yermoshina added that the Central Election Commission worked in an unprecedented environment this time.
