Belarus parliament elections

MINSK, 11 September (BelTA) - The elections in Belarus are running smoothly and calm, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, CIS Executive Secretary, head of the CIS observation mission Sergei Lebedev told the media, BelTA has learned.

“The impressions are positive: we see a clam, well-organized election campaign. At most polling stations the atmosphere is festive, and the weather contributed to this. We have seen that people go to the polls in good spirits,” Sergei Lebedev noted. According to him, there are a lot of elderly people who, in spite of age and some diseases, have decided to come to the polls rather than vote at home. First-time voters are given small souvenirs: notepads, chocolate bars.

According to Sergei Lebedev, the CIS observers come into contact with Western counterparts. “At some polling stations we met observers from the OSCE and exchanged opinion,” he said. “We are happy to know that they have positive impressions. I sincerely wished that the outcome report that they will issue tomorrow should have positive assessments too. It is often that we face these practices: everything is good, everything is OK. The next day they declare the elections undemocratic, non-transparent and so on,” Sergei Lebedev said.

He drew special attention to the work of local observers. “We have seen that they are present at all polling stations. No violations have been registered. Everybody confirms that the elections are running smoothly, orderly,” he said.