The OSCE needs assessment mission for the presidential election is expected to arrive in Belarus in the second half of July, chairperson of the Belarus Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina informed after the meeting with Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE ODIHR) Michael George Link. "If they receive timely invitation, i.e. in the coming days after the announcement of the election date, then the assessment mission can be deployed in second half of July," Lidia Yermoshina noted. Then, they it be followed by the OSCE long-term mission to Belarus, according to her. Lidia Yermoshina explained that the invitation to the OSCE will be sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She stated that the Belarusian side will not set the limits on the number of OSCE observers. “We do not have such a right. If such a requirement is set by some other states, it means they violate the principles of observation,” she noted. Lidia Yermoshina said that during the meeting with the head of the OSCE/ODIHR they discussed the working moments related to the future elections. "Mr Link thanked us for the invitation, which is verbal for the time being, to observe the elections, explained how the mission will be formed, and how it will work," informed Lidia Yermoshina. "I had the feeling that Mr. Link might open a new page in the relations between Belarus and the ODIHR," said the head of the Central Election Commission of Belarus. It is anticipated that on 30 June Belarus Parliament will announce 11 October 2015 as the date of the elections of the President of Belarus.
Written by belta.by
