Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 12 September (BelTA) – Belarus has implemented almost every recommendation of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and met almost all the organization's requirements regarding the organization of the elections, Head of the Belarus President’s Administration Alexander Kosinets told media after his meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 12 September, BelTA has learned.

“We have implemented almost all the recommendations of OSCE/ODIHR. The first requirement was to secure transparency, which was done. 75% of ballot boxes were transparent. Observers were allowed to present at the vote count procedure,” Alexander Kosinets said.

He stressed that monitoring the elections were 827 foreign and 37,800 domestic observers.

“Any vote fraud or ballot replacement is impossible as you can see what a huge “army” observed the process, including OSCE/ODIHR, PACE, and the CIS mission,” Alexander Kosinets said.

The second requirement that concerned maximum accreditation and invitation of foreign media representatives was also met. A total of 333 journalists accredited at the elections in the country represented 25 states. “They wrote and showed what they wanted. We did not close access for them to anything regarded to the election law and our country. They saw everything,” the head of Belarus President’s Administration said.

Alexander Kosinets also spoke about the domestic mass media. A total of 360 Belarusian reporters, both state and private, covered the election campaign in the country.

“We also provided the opportunity for the registration of any political parties and candidates, associations. In comparison with the elections in 2012, this year’s campaign showed a bigger number of representatives of political parties and associations, campaign events, televised debates and radio speeches,” Alexander Kosinets added.