Presidential election 2015 in Belarus

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – More than 900 foreign observers got accredited for monitoring the presidential election in Belarus. The relevant information is available on the official website of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus, BelTA has learned.

These include 344 observers from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR), 19 observers from foreign electoral institutions, and 382 observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (including 44 from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly). The list also features nine representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), 68 observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), and seven representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Besides, 64 representatives of the diplomatic corps and 17 independent observers got accredited for monitoring the main electoral event in Belarus.

Therefore, the total number of accredited international observers reached 910 as of 5 October.

According to a resolution of the CEC, foreign observers, inter alia, can meet with presidential candidates and their proxies, representatives of political parties and other public associations. They are also entitled to monitor the early voting, hold recounts, and observe the distribution of ballot papers and the voting process.

Besides, foreign observers can ask to provide information about the results of the vote count and the election protocols of territorial and precinct commissions. They also can study the voting records of regional, municipal, and other election commissions signed and sent to a commission of a higher level.

After the election day, foreign observers will be able to hold press conferences, publicly express their opinion about Belarus' electoral legislation and the organization of the electoral campaign.