District election commissions are completing the registration of candidates for deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation on October 17, BELTA reports.
Election campaigning for the parliamentary elections in Belarus will start in mid-October after the registration of contenders for deputy mandates. As informed by the press service of Belteleradiocompany, all candidates for Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno and Mogilev regions, as well as for the city of Minsk, will have the opportunity to speak on the TV channel "Belarus 3", and for Minsk region – on STV.
Speeches by candidates for deputies on TV and radio will begin on October 21 and will be held on weekdays until November 6. The duration of each is limited to five minutes. On television, they will be broadcast during evening prime time – from 19:00 to 20:40. "The exception is October 22 and 29, when airtime is provided from 19:00 to 19:30, taking into account the broadcast schedule of the TV channel "Belarus 3", – the press service of the media holding clarified. It was reminded that airtime is provided to all participants of the political race free of charge and it was emphasized that the use of audio and video materials in speeches is not allowed.
Radio speeches can be listened to from 7:00 to 8:00. Airtime for candidates who will run for Minsk will be provided by "Radio-Minsk", for Minsk region – by the radio station "Minskaya Volna". Those who will be nominated for other regions will be provided with time by the respective regional TV and radio companies.
For TV debates, airtime is reserved at a rate of no more than five minutes per candidate. The procedure for organizing and conducting debates, their dates and the moderator are determined by the TV and radio companies.
Candidates for seats in parliament have the right to publish their election program either in one of the republican newspapers ("Zvyazda", "Respublika"), or in the relevant regional newspaper, or in the district, city newspapers published in their constituency. Candidates must submit the text to the media no later than October 27.
Elections to the House of Representatives are scheduled for November 17, to the Council of the Republic – for November 7.