BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/07/2008

Election campaign to Council of Republic gets underway in Belarus

The election campaign to the Council of the Republic started in Belarus on July 14, secretary of the central election commission Nikolai Lozovik told BelTA.

In accordance with the president's decree No 345 of June 24, 2008, the campaign will run until October 14.

Nikolai Lozovik said that nomination of candidates to the members of the Council of the Republic will start on August 17. In line with the legislation, the nomination starts 90 days and concludes 60 days before the expiry of the term of office of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament, Nikolai Lozovik informed. The candidates are nominated by the presidiums of the regional and town councils of deputies and regional town executive committees, presidiums of the Minsk city council of deputies and Minsk city council. The process of nomination of candidates will finish on September 15. The registration will run from September 16 to September 20.

Nikolai Lozovik reminded that the elections to the upper house of parliament are not direct: senators are elected by deputies of the local councils by secret ballot. The Council of the Republic is made up of 64 members, eight are appointed by the President of the country, others are elected by seven regions (eight senators per each region).

Sessions of the local councils of deputies will be held on September 21 - October 10. The results will be summed up by the central election commission no later than October 14.

Source:

http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1246742&lang=EN

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