VITEBSK, 30 April (BelTA) – Almost half of the Vitebsk Oblast’s deputy corps has been renewed. Following the local elections 1,686 people (47.8% of those elected), who were not deputies before, will work in representative authority bodies, BelTA learned from Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Election Commission Vladimir Myadelets. Among those elected are five citizens of the Russian Federation. Women account for about 46% of the deputy corps. They dominate in rural and urban councils where they will occupy over half of the seats. Almost 200 young citizens or 5.6% of the total number of deputies will deal with local problems. Young citizens are represented in all but the oblast council of deputies. The 26th convocation local councils will include 52 representatives of political parties, with the majority (46) belonging to the Communist Party of Belarus. Members of the party will sit on all councils but the urban ones in towns of regional administration. The National Labor and Justice Party won three seats, the Belarusian Agrarian Party – two, the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada – one. In the new convocation deputy corps one quarter of those elected represents agriculture, 16% - education, 12.6% - industry, trade, transport and civil engineering, nearly 10% - healthcare and social protection. Primary level councils are dominated by agriculture and education workers, the share of manufacturing industry and healthcare workers is high in oblast and urban councils. The Vitebsk Oblast elections have produced quorum in all the 240 local councils, including one oblast council, 21 regional councils, seven urban councils, and 211 rural and town councils. Repeat elections will be held in three constituencies. Deputy seats are still vacant in the Dubrovno rural council and one seat in two rural councils each in the Dubrovno and Verkhnedvinsk regions. In these cases there was one candidate per seat but they failed to win over 50% of the vote. About 817,000 voters took part in the local elections in the Vitebsk Oblast, the voter turnout amounted to 90.9%.

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