"The fact of observers' presence at polling stations suggests that elections aren't fine in this country". That's how the co-chairman of "For Fair Elections" campaign Viktor Karnyaenka answered on the statements of CEC Secretary Nikolai Lozovik that elections' observers in Belarus have full freedom to act.
In an interview with BelTA the CEC secretary Nikolai Lozovik said that "even members of opposition groups, who observe elections in Belarus, admit that Belarusian law provides greater rights for observers than in neighboring countries, where the observation institute is also fairly well developed, particularly in Russia and Ukraine".
Viktor Karnyaenka, who was not allowed to visit Vienna during the OSCE seminar on elections' observation, clarifies the meaning of notions:
"Belarusian legislation and reality are two big differences, as they say in Odessa. Read the Constitution - and our state looks so democratic! One can tell fairy tales anyone, but not the people who observe the elections.
Belarusian observers have the opportunity to observe what is in a bulletin only in very rare occasions. During the past elections our observers attended about 600 pulling stations - and they could see what was happening only at ten of them. Observers is not the case! Even members of election commissions, regardless of which state structure they were delegated by, don't always have an idea what happens on site!"
Viktor Karnyaenka thinks, the presence of OSCE observers during the parliamentary campaign is needed.
"The more witnesses present during voting and counting of votes - the better. In other countries the presence of observers isn't needed at all: voters trust commissions, parties don't nominate observers, because they trust the electoral process. The fact of observers' presence at polling stations suggests that elections aren't fine in this country", said Karnyaenka.
