Nomination of candidates to Belarus’ upper house begins on 21 July

         Nomination of candidates to the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus begins on 21 July and will last until 19 August, BelTA reports. Candidates to the upper house of Parliament are nominated by the base-level council of deputies and executive committees, and in the city of Minsk - by the presidium of the Minsk City Council of Deputies and Minsk City Hall.  The elections of senators will be running from 25 August till 13 September. The senators are elected at meetings of the base-level local councils in every oblast and Minsk City Council of Deputies. Belarus’ Council of the Republic is a regional representative body with 64 members. Local councils elect 56 members: eight in every oblast and eight in Minsk. The Belarusian President appoints the final 8 members.