OSCE PA Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus Chair Kent Harstedt responds to Belarusian announcements on election reform

COPENHAGEN, 29 April 2016 – Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden), Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of its Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, had a mixed reaction to the statement of Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina following the press conference with the head of state on 27 April.

“The Belarusian government has taken a positive step in agreeing to implement some of the OSCE/ODIHR’s recommendations made after recent election observations in the country. I however regret that long overdue changes to the electoral law are not foreseen in the coming months,” said Harstedt.

“It remains to be seen how, in practice, the declarations made by the highest level of the electoral administration will translate into action in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections,” he added.

The CEC declared that it would improve three important procedures, namely the formation of election commissions, the review of election disputes and the vote count procedure for the election campaign leading to the elections expected in September.

OSCE observers have repeatedly assessed, including during the observation of the 2015 presidential election and of the 2012 parliamentary elections, that the legal framework is not adequately guaranteeing the conduct of elections in line with OSCE commitments.

The OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus was established in October 1998 to assist in the development of democracy in Belarus. Harstedt was appointed Chair of the Group by OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva earlier this month.