GLUBOKOYE, 18 April (BelTA) – Belarus has taken into consideration the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and has created an environment conducive to a free election, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko told BelTA. Commenting on the calls of some opposition activists to boycott the forthcoming parliamentary election, Vladimir Andreichenko stated that “the election should be held in compliance with the Constitution and it will be; there are no grounds for boycotting it”. He believes that the issue of the so-called political prisoners is far-fetched, just like allegations that Belarusian electoral laws fall short of European standards. “There are no political prisoners in Belarus, there are people who committed criminal offences; besides, the electoral legislation took into consideration all the remarks by the OSCE/ODIHR,” he said. According to the Speaker, the integration with Russia and Kazakhstan and an independent policy pursued by Belarus are the reasons for the calls to boycott the election and for the sanctions against the sovereign Belarus. “We are a sovereign state and we respect ourselves,” Vladimir Andreichenko said.

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