The pre-election campaign in Belarus proceeds in the spirit of open competition, reporters learned from the intermediate report released by the CIS observer mission to cover preparations for the forthcoming elections to the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament.
     “On the whole, the pre-election campaign proceeds in a calm atmosphere, in the spirit of open competition. The campaign is highly organized,” the intermediate report reads. Among other things the CIS observers analyzed the progress of the pre-election campaign and its coverage in mass media. The experts noted that parliamentary candidates eagerly use the air time they have been granted for campaigning. However, some of them reject opportunities to address their votes or participate in televised debates. The CIS observers believe that the campaigning period proceeds in a lawful manner. Parliamentary candidates have been granted equal conditions for pre-election campaigning and for making speeches in mass media. Nevertheless, some propaganda materials of parliamentary candidates have been damaged.