Presidential election 2015 in Belarus

MINSK, 7 October (BelTA) – During the online conference hosted by the website of the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina explained why transparent ballot boxes are not installed at every polling station, BelTA has learned.

The official said that they had not put any extra effort into placing transparent ballot boxes. “Every polling station commission takes care of equipping its own polling station bearing in mind its own resources. No funds are allocated for it. This is why public sector organizations do not have the resources to buy modern equipment and transparent boxes are classified as modern equipment,” said Lidia Yermoshina.

The head of the Belarusian election organization agency went on saying that the Central Election Commission had asked the oblast administrations to come up with ways or sponsors for buying transparent ballot boxes. “There are many transparent boxes in Vitebsk Oblast possibly because two companies that make such equipment are located there,” she explained.

The practice of using transparent boxes for voting is a foreign one. “Mass media, observers, and some politicians insist on their usage, this is why we’ve acquired what we could. More will be acquired later on but it doesn’t mean that absolutely all the polling stations will be fitted with these voting instruments,” noted the CEC head.