MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2020) The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published a final report on monitoring the parliamentary elections in Belarus, which took place in November 2019, and made 32 recommendations on improving the electoral process, the organization said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
Elections to the lower house of parliament were held in Belarus on November 17. A total of 110 lawmakers were elected, opposition representatives did not make it to the new parliament. Following the elections, OSCE observers said that they did not meet democratic standards, and also noted a violation of the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the country's constitution.
"Following the early parliamentary elections in Belarus on 17 November 2019, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published its final report. The report offers 32 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency of and public confidence in the electoral process," the OSCE ODIHR said.
The recommendations include a comprehensive review of the electoral legal framework to address prior ODIHR recommendations, including on the composition of election commissions, candidacy rights, observers' rights, and safeguards for voting, counting and tabulation procedures, as well as implementation of clear and transparent procedures for counting ballots so that all present can verify that results are counted genuinely and reported honestly.
