Aleksandr Dubov: Referendum turnout is high

Aleksandr Dubov, a member of the Standing Commission on Defence and Security of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, drew parallels between constitutional referenda in the Republic of Belarus and Kazakhstan.
“Since morning we have been working at polling stations, attending the opening of polling stations and visiting several election commissions. Overall, we liked the organization, the atmosphere is calm, commission members know what they are supposed to do.
For me it was especially interesting because this year we had a referendum in the Republic of Belarus, also on the initiative of the Head of State. And it was similar to the one in Kazakhstan.”
Aleksandr Dubov said that he saw many similarities in the organization and conduct of the referendum in Belarus and Kazakhstan and the proposed changes to the Constitution.
“It concerns both social issues and the distribution of powers between the President and the representative bodies. It is about strengthening the role of the people in the governance of the state,” Aleksandr Dubov emphasized.
He said, “Today we, observers from the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, talked to the chairpersons of precinct election commissions and to voters and I liked the spark in their eyes. People understand what is being offered to them and they want these changes.”
“I have a very positive impression of the referendum. The organization is of a very high standard and I personally have no criticism. Although we were monitoring from the moment when polling stations were opened, we visited them during the day and there was a high turnout already in the morning. Let me repeat, it seems that these changes are due, people understand and want them,” Aleksandr Dubov stressed.