The collection of signatures for the nomination of candidates for deputies has started in the Vitebsk region

In the Vitebsk region, all 48 initiative groups that submitted applications for registration to the district election commissions have begun collecting signatures of citizens in support of nominating candidates for deputies.

The commissions are starting to work with national observers, so the election campaign is gaining momentum.

The nomination of candidates for deputies runs from July 3 to August 1 inclusive and can be done in three ways: by political parties, labor collectives, and citizens by collecting signatures. Of the contenders who decided to go to the people with their initiative group at the start of the campaign, more than half are non-partisan.

Among the political parties, the Belarusian Left Party "A Just World", the United Civil Party, and the Belarusian Popular Front party have been most active at this stage, with their representatives registering 5, 4, and 7 initiative groups, respectively.

Also, three representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, one each from the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) and the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada intend to get into parliament by collecting signatures of citizens. By the way, during the previous parliamentary campaign, there were 14 refusals to register, the initiative groups worked about a quarter less, and the spectrum of political parties was narrower.

In the Vitebsk region, 819 polling stations have been established, including 42 that will be located in sanatoriums, health resorts, rest homes, healthcare institutions, and military units. The largest number of polling stations is in the Horadok electoral district No. 21, where voting will be organized at 100 stations. Less than 40 such places have been established in 6 districts, including three in the regional center. Compared to the previous campaign, the number of polling stations has decreased by approximately 9%.

Sergey Antonov, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photos from open sources.