ISLAMABAD: Belarusian President, Chairman of the Belarusian People’s Congress Aleksandr Lukashenko nominated Aleksei Kushnarenko for election as a member of the Presidium of the Belarusian People’s Congress, BelTA has learned.
The need to elect a new member to the Presidium arose in the spring of this year following personnel changes in the government as Konstantin Burak was appointed as Assistant to the President – Inspector for Grodno Oblast, thereby losing his status as a delegate of the Belarusian People’s Congress and a member of the Presidium.
In accordance with the law on the Belarusian People’s Congress, members of the Presidium are elected by secret ballot. The time, place, and procedure for the secret ballot were explained by Inna Medvedeva, Chairperson of the Vote Counting Commission of the Belarusian People’s Congress.
“We must absolutely conduct the secret ballot in accordance with our democracy. I am already being criticized for this. But what does it have to do with me? After all, it was you who made the decision that all members of the Presidium of the Belarusian People’s Congress are elected by secret ballot.
Many now, even Aleksandr Kosinets [Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian People’s Congress] says that this could also be done by open vote,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “So it turns out that we elect members of the Presidium by secret ballot and judges of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts by open vote.
Therefore, we will review this, revisit this law once more. Adjustments are needed so that we use time efficiently, to somehow equalize and balance the situation.” –Agencies
