Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev has commented on the results of monitoring the preparation and holding of the constitutional referendum in the Republic of Belarus.
Russian senators took part in the international missions of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Russia and Belarus that monitored the preparation and holding of the referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus.
Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev coordinated the group of 37 international observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.
Konstantin Kosachev said that the referendum had been held openly and legitimately.
“The international observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly were divided into seven groups, which allowed them to visit over 120 polling stations. They have not reported any complaints about the referendum organisers or the voting process,” Konstantin Kosachev noted.
The Deputy Speaker believes that the results of the referendum showed convincingly that the situation in Belarus is stable, and that the majority of citizens support the authorities’ actions. It is a fundamental factor for planning the further integration of the Union of Russia and Belarus. “This work is proceeding actively and will be continued, and the two states’ MPs will continue to monitor the efforts of the executive authorities towards this end,” Konstantin Kosachev added.
“We have agreed to discuss the possibility of reforming our countries’ legislations in the context of the roadmaps for the further development of the Union State during the upcoming 9th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions, which the upper houses of our parliaments will hold in Grodno, Belarus, in June,” the Deputy Speaker said.
The group of international observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly included Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs Andrei Shevchenko, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Natalia Kosikhina, and member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State-Building Nikolai Vladimirov. Member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State-Building Artyom Sheikin was in the group of SCO observers. Member of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security Alexander Yaroshuk worked with the group of observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Russia and Belarus.