Police and “volunteer patrols” to be on duty at referendum polling stations

February 2, BPN. According to the chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Ihar Karpienka, it is planned to involve public order volunteers in the protection of polling stations during the constitutional referendum.

“The Interior Ministry will ensure public order traditionally at all polling stations. Besides, it was agreed that internal affairs officers can use the reinforcements from the volunteer patrols,” the CEC quoted Karpienka as saying.

According to the CEC head, “this is a normal practice, all decisions have been taken and we have all relevant decrees.”

It is also reported that a mission from the CIS started observing the referendum campaign on February 1. Up to 120 members are expected to join the mission.

It was previously reported that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation would also send its observers to Minsk from among international organisations. The CEC also sent invitations to the central election authorities of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Belarusian authorities did not invite observers from the OSCE or from any of the Western states.

Recently, the CEC accredited 875 national observers. Most of them were nominated by pro-governmental political parties and public associations (the Belarusian Social Sports Party, the Communist Party of Belarus, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Social Democratic Party of National Accord, Belaja Rus’, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union, the Belarusian Union of Women, the Belarusian Peace Foundation, the Belarusian Public Association of Veterans, the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus).

There are no representatives of opposition parties among the observers, nor in the currently formed territorial electoral commissions.

The referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution is scheduled for February 27, 2022.

Key proposed amendments include legitimisation of the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, a restoration of the rule limiting the presidency by one person to a maximum of two terms, introduction of immunity for former presidents, and monopolization of the state ideology.