International Conference “Election Institution as a Mechanism of Public Authority Legitimation” Kicks off in Minsk

The international conference “Election Institution as a Mechanism of Public Authority Legitimation” co-organized by the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, the CIS Executive Committee and the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and Holding Republican Referenda kicked off in Minsk.

Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, member of the IPA CIS Council Mikhail Myasnikovich opened the conference and briefly reviewed the legislation of the Republic of Belarus and noted the importance of the Republic’s accession to the Convention on Standards for Democratic Elections, developed by the IPA CIS and adopted across the Commonwealth. He also reminded that the conference was held during the preparation for the elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, which had generated considerable interest in the society. 

Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council Valentina Matvienko also send a welcoming message for the participants of the conference.

First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Viktor Guminskiy represented the CIS Executive Committee and noted in his speech that the work of the CIS Observer Team contributed to the public authority legitimation. He also delivered a welcome address on behalf Chairman of Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the CIS Sergey Lebedev.

Chairperson of the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and Holding Republican Referenda Lidia Ermoshina stressed the importance of active participation in the electoral campaigns as a mechanism of ensuring stability in the society.

Secretary General – Head of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat Dmitriy Kobitskiy highlighted the IPA CIS elections monitoring activity and its input to the development of the legislative framework in that field. He reminded that the Provision on CIS Observer Team at the CIS Presidential and Parliamentary Elections and Referenda was based on the Recommendations for the CIS International Observers adopted by the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in 2002. Dmitriy Kobitskiy stressed the need to constantly improve the legislative framework and monitoring technologies taking into account the ever-changing information environment.