Over 65% of Belarusian Citizens Vote in Favor of Constitutional Amendments

MINSK (Sputnik) - More than 65 percent of Belarusian citizens have voted in favor of constitutional amendments during a referendum held on Sunday, the head of the Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC), Igor Karpenko, said.

"65.16% of the referendum participants included in the voting lists voted for the adoption of amendments and additions to the constitution of the Republic of Belarus. 10.07% voted against," Karpenko said.

According to Belarusian law, a decision at a referendum is considered adopted if more than half of the citizens included in the lists of participants in the referendum voted for it.

The Belarusian referendum turnout is estimated at over 78%. The decision taken at the referendum will come into force 10 days after the official publication of the results.

Earlier, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a Belarusian opposition leader in exile, labeled the referendum on constitutional reforms "illegal," claiming that it will have no effect on the country.

The draft of the amended constitution of Belarus, in particular, suggests that the same person can be president for no more than two terms. In accordance with the proposed amendments, a section on the All Belarusian People's Assembly will appear in the constitution, which will become the highest representative democratic body in Belarus, and thus will approve the foundations of domestic and foreign policy, military doctrine, and the concept of the country's national security.

The draft provides that the president can be removed from office by the All Belarusian People's Assembly in the event of a systematic or gross violation of the constitution or the commission of treason or other serious crime.