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Lukashenko: OSCE needs universal election assessment standards

ASTANA, 2 December (BelTA) – The OSCE should develop universal standards for assessing elections, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said in his speech at the OSCE summit in Astana on 2 December. “A lot has been said about human rights. If we start talking about it, we should take a serious approach to this issue. The issue of elections has always been in the limelight of the OSCE activity. And often OSCE has turned to be a so-called lever in somebody’s hands in the pre-election period of this or that country. Unfortunately in Belarus there are no election standards which are continually cited by OSCE representatives and officials. That is why today we need to work out universal election standards,” Alexander Lukashenko said. In his words, it would be logic if the Organization adopts common principles for observing the application of election standards. “Several countries have already put forward some proposals on the issue,” the Belarusian head of state noted. Alexander Lukashenko stressed that freedom to travel is one of the priorities that make basis of human rights. The head of state mentioned that in fact the OSCE originated from this concept. “Then, in Helsinki, Madrid, we all, voluntary, took up those unambiguous commitments to facilitate personal contacts and freedom of movement. However, today’s situation is much worse than it was eleven years ago. Bureaucratized, and sometimes abasing human dignity, procedures of receiving visas, high visa cost is a big hindrance to free movement and contacts between the citizens of our countries, contacts which are necessary for promoting mutual understanding and trust,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

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