Minsk – The Belarusian Central Elections Commission will not participate in the monitoring of parliamentary elections in Ukraine, Belarusian Central Elections Commission Secretary Nikolai Lozovik told Interfax.
“The Central Elections Commission will not participate in the monitoring of the parliamentary elections. However, someone else, probably from the Foreign Ministry or the Belarusian government, may go there,” Lozovik said.
The early parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Ukraine on Oct. 26.
“We have the capabilities to monitor these elections,” Lozovik said.
At the same time, he recalled that Ukraine had previously sent invitations to other countries that are interested in monitoring the elections via international channels. However, the procedures for inviting international monitors have changed now. According to a decision made by the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission, international organizations interested in participating in the election monitoring are now required to make requests. “That expands the range of possible monitors, because requests can be filed by organizations that were not invited. For this reason, I don’t see any restriction of the capabilities of those who are interested,” Lozovik said.
“However, we are used to going to monitor elections to places where we are invited. And because we have not been invited for the first time, we have decided that we will not go,” he said.
