The nomination of candidates to local councils of deputies of Belarus will be conducted from 12 January to 10 February, BelTA learnt from Secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Belarus Nikolai Lozovik

In line with the Electoral Code, there are three ways to nominate candidates. One of them is nomination by political parties. “Structural subdivisions of political parties can put forward candidates to respective councils of deputies: oblast subdivisions to oblast councils, district subdivisions to district councils, city subdivisions to city councils,” Nikolai Lozovik said.

Labor collectives can also nominate candidates. However, to be entitled to put forward their candidates to oblast councils and the Minsk City Council, companies should have at least 150 employees. To be able to suggest their candidates to city councils, companies need to have at least 75 employees. To nominate candidates to grassroots councils of deputies a labor collective needs to have at least 20 employees. “A company can nominate only one candidate to a corresponding council of deputies. A company should be located on the territory of that particular constituency,” Nikolai Lozovik said.

Candidates can be nominated through signature collection. This way is the most difficult one. The law requires candidates eyeing a seat in the Minsk City Council and the oblast council to collect at least 150 signatures. Those seeking nomination to city councils should collect at least 75 signatures. Potential candidates wishing to be nominated to grassroots councils need to collect at least 20 signatures. Before collecting signatures, a potential candidate needs to register an initiative group. The procedure is spelt out in the legislation.

After the nomination period is over, the documents are forwarded to election commissions. Nikolai Lozovik noted that people seeking nomination to grassroots councils do not need to present an income and property declaration. However, this requirement applies to all other potential candidates. If a potential candidate is not officially employed, he needs to indicate his source of subsistence in the declaration. All potential candidates will have to disclose all their previous criminal offences, even spent convictions. “Potential candidates who have spent convictions will not be banned from nomination, however, voters should know about it,” the CEC Secretary said.