"How can you rig elections here?!" (photo, video)

Election centre #110 is situated in the outskirts of Minsk. Humorist Yauhen Kryzhanouski was running for MP there. 

The head of the commission was surprised to see an independent journalist 15 arrive 15 minuets before the end of the voting. My name was added to a special notebook (I was the only person on the list!) and I was allowed to watch the vote count and even make  a video.

There was only one observer there - a representative of "Belaya Rus".

She had no remarks.

Observer: “I has been observing the whole campaign - and I have no remarks. There were no problems."

The election centre was closed at 8 p.m. The secretary started announcing the things they were doing. It seemed to be done especially for the Euroradio journalist.

The vote count started. The Euroradio journalist was allowed to stay and was make a video of the process.

The head of the commission explained "the transparency" in a very simple way.

Head of the commission: "This is my third election and this is routine. As you could see, everything is transparent, there is no sense in rigging anything. Our job is counting the votes to announce the results."

The vote count took about 20 minutes.

The election results were: 1175 electors out of 2130 took part in the election, 435 voted early. 107 people voted for Yauhen Kryzhanouksi, 205 - for Katsyaryna Satsuk, 752 - for Svyatlana Shylava, 105 voted "none of the above" and 6 ballot papers were spoilt.

By the way, a policeman arrived only after the journalist had made a video and the vote count was over.

Photo and video by: Zmitser Lukashuk