MINSK, 20 September (BelTA) — National legislations of CIS countries meet generally accepted norms of free and open elections, CIS First Deputy Secretary General Leonid Anfimov said during a plenary session of the international conference "International standards of electoral process: Experience and development prospects" in Minsk on 20 September, BelTA has learned.
"Many of you, like me, participated in the CIS election observation. We saw progress both in preparing and conducting election campaigns. We are improving the CIS electoral systems, introducing new technologies, equipment, approaches and opportunities for voters to participate in elections," Leonid Anfimov said.
He pointed out that democratic principles of elections have been considerably strengthened. "All the countries are liberalizing their electoral laws to ensure transparency of elections and, most importantly, citizens' right to freely express their will. The national legislations of our states meet generally accepted norms of free and open elections, including the right of citizens to elect and be elected, transparency of elections, judicial and other protection of electoral rights of citizens, public and international observation of elections, guarantees of electoral rights and freedoms of participants in elections. We have established fair, genuine and free elections on the basis of universal and equal suffrage held by secret ballot, which ensure voters’ right to freely express their will," he emphasized.
"All CIS countries have legislated the institution of international observation. Therefore, all the statements by some states or western-led international organizations that the CIS election laws fall short of the generally accepted norms of democratic elections are incorrect, to put it mildly," Leonid Anfimov added.
"Many of you, like me, participated in the CIS election observation. We saw progress both in preparing and conducting election campaigns. We are improving the CIS electoral systems, introducing new technologies, equipment, approaches and opportunities for voters to participate in elections," Leonid Anfimov said.
He pointed out that democratic principles of elections have been considerably strengthened. "All the countries are liberalizing their electoral laws to ensure transparency of elections and, most importantly, citizens' right to freely express their will. The national legislations of our states meet generally accepted norms of free and open elections, including the right of citizens to elect and be elected, transparency of elections, judicial and other protection of electoral rights of citizens, public and international observation of elections, guarantees of electoral rights and freedoms of participants in elections. We have established fair, genuine and free elections on the basis of universal and equal suffrage held by secret ballot, which ensure voters’ right to freely express their will," he emphasized.
"All CIS countries have legislated the institution of international observation. Therefore, all the statements by some states or western-led international organizations that the CIS election laws fall short of the generally accepted norms of democratic elections are incorrect, to put it mildly," Leonid Anfimov added.
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