Salihorsk: members of PECs and their observers work at the same enterprises
As reported by independent observers, other observers who are present at their PECs are often workers of the enterprises where members of the respective PECs work, and are subordinated to certain members of the PECs outside the electoral process.
“The bulk of members of PEC No. 32 are representatives of public utilities. As I learned, the observers at the polling station were also from public utilities. They greet one another and discuss working issues. These “observers” even ask the commission whether they can leave the polling station,” says an observer of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Uladzimir Shyla.
Pavel Batuyeu, an observer of the independent initiative “Right to Elect” at Salihorsk polling station No. 33, reports about the indifference of other observers at his polling station to the electoral process:
“So far, I have no information as to whether these observers and members of commissions have any connections, but I had the impression that they knew one another pretty well. All in all, I had the impression that they were forced to take part in the observation. They are keeping their duty for one hour and are impatiently waiting for the hour to end.”
"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections"