On Approval of Regulations on Order of Activity of Foreign (International) Observers during Preparing and Conducting of Elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus in 2001

On the base of part 13 of Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and Conducting Republican Referenda decrees:

1. To adopt Regulations on the Order of Activity of Foreign (International) Observers during Preparation and Holding Elections of the President of the Republic Belarus in 2001.

2. To adopt the form of the certificate on accreditation of foreign (international) observer (enclosed).

1. According to the article 155 of Electoral code of the Republic of Belarus, foreign (international) observer is the person who represents foreign state or international organisation and who obtains the right to exercise observation over preparation and holding elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus according to the order established by Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus.

2. Foreign (international) observers are invited to the Republic of Belarus by the President of the Republic of Belarus, the House of Representatives, the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and Holding Republican Referenda (further – the Central Commission).

3. The Central Commission accredits foreign (international) observers.

Foreign (international) observer obtains from the Central Commission the certificate of established order according to invitation to observe over elections and presented document that identifies him.

The certificate is the document that confirms the authority of foreign (international) observer on exercising his/her activity during the period of preparation and holding elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

Term of office of foreign (international) observer begins from the day of his/her accreditation and ends on the day of publication of results of elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

4. According to the article 11 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus foreign (international) observer during stay on the territory of the Republic of Belarus enjoys all the rights and fulfils the duties equally with the citizens of the Republic of Belarus if other is not established by the Constitution, laws and international treaties.

Commissions on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus, local governmental, executive and administrative bodies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and also bodies that have invited foreign (international) observers have to render the necessary assistance to them.

5. Foreign (international) observer exercises his/her activity independently and on his/her own.

Material and financial security of the activity of foreign (international) observer is conducted at the expense of the part that has sent the observer or at his/her own expense.

6. Foreign (international) observers have the right:

to attend the meetings of commissions of elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus;

to meet with candidates for the President of the Republic of Belarus and their agents, representatives of political parties and other public associations;

to be present while sealing the boxes for elections;

a day of elections to be present at the rooms for elections since the moment of sealing the boxes for elections till the end of summation of elections;

to familiarise with lists of citizens who have the right of taking part in elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus which are presented for public familiarisation;

to be present during prescheduled voting, voting at the place of voters’ presence;

to observe over issuing of ballot-papers, the process of voting, maintenance of the order of voting established by Electoral Code;

to apply to the chairman or vice-chairman of divisional commission on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus with remarks and suggestions on the questions of organisation of elections;

to get the information on the results of poll and working up the protocols of corresponding commissions on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus on the results of elections;

to familiarise with protocols of divisional, regional, city, district, oblast, Minsk City commissions on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus on the results of voting, which are signed and directed to the higher commission;

to work up the copy of the protocol of the divisional commission on elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus on the results of voting at his/her own expense and by his/her own strength.

after the day of elections (that meets the principle of non-intervention of observers to the electoral process) to present his/her opinion on electoral legislation of the Republic of Belarus and on preparation and holding elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus to the public, to hold press conferences and to appeal to mass media.

7. Foreign (international) observers have no the right of usage their status for exercising the activity which is not connected with observing over preparation and holding elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

8. The Central Commission has the right of depriving foreign (international) observer of his/her accreditation in the case of violation by him/her the legislation of the Republic of Belarus or universally recognised principles and norms of international law.

* unofficial translation *

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