Titanic Efforts and Most Democratic Appointment: Interview with Lidzija Jarmoshyna

Ms. Jarmoshyna denied reports that university students had been compelled to vote early on a massive scale, saying that the commission had not received a single complaint from students.

Violations are committed by precinct election commissions in every election in Belarus but these are minor irregularities that do not influence the outcome of the vote, she stressed.

Ms. Jarmoshyna acknowledged that at some polling stations monitors were given no opportunity to observe vote counting, which she said is a minor infraction that has no effect on the vote results.

The official attacked independent election observers for having a biased attitude to the election authorities and alleged that the monitors were offered financial incentives for making as many complaints about violations of electoral regulations as possible.

There are observers “who have their own interpretation of laws and believe that they can do everything that is not prohibited,” according to Ms. Jarmoshyna. “And they pay no attention to the requirements of laws, to what the observer has the right to do,” she said.

“Precinct election commissions try to hold an election at any cost, so that they don't have to hold a repeat election three months later, this is not an easy job that people are so willing to take,” Ms. Jarmoshyna said.

The official defended five-day early voting in Belarusian elections. “The fact that they vote during six days, not in one day as is the case in many other countries, creates an opportunity for as many people to cast their ballots as possible,” she said.

Most Democratic Appointment Ever

Lidzija Jarmoshyna has also described her controversial appointment to the position of head of the central election commission as the “most democratic.”

Ms. Jarmoshyna said that Aliaksandr Lukashenka had never met her before appointing her to replace Viktar Hanchar.

Mr. Hanchar was dismissed by Mr. Lukashenka from the position on November 14, 1996, 10 days before a controversial referendum that gave the Belarusian leader sweeping powers. Under laws that were in effect at that time, only the Supreme Soviet had the right to dismiss the central election commission's head.

According to Ms. Jarmoshyna, the Belarusian leader had no other choice but to appoint her.

“Viktar Hanchar had been removed [from the job] and a new chair was to be picked from among the members of the central election commission. One member of the central election commission was justice minister and was preparing to become the Supreme Court's chairman, several members of the commission had reached the retirement age, several more were workers. My candidacy was recommended during a discussion, the central election commission believed that I would at least not bungle the job, would fit the position,” she said.

The official said that she had been appointed in the space of one day, “without anyone having to give his consent to that.”

Ms. Jarmoshyna said that she could be succeeded by an official with a regional executive committee or the Minsk City Executive Committee who deals with elections. “I mean organizers of elections who lead the organizational or legal departments. It is quite likely that this could be one of the outgoing MPs,” she noted.

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