MINSK: Polling stations opened Sunday for parliamentary elections in Belarus which the opposition has largely boycotted and called on voters to stay home.

Voting opened at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) for 12 hours in the country of 9.5 million people. “Polling stations have opened in all of Belarus,” the state television presenter said on Belarus 1 channel.

All members of the 110-person body are now supporters of strongman President Alexander Lukashenko and most opposition parties have boycotted the polls in protest against what they say is an unfair process with predetermined result.

Source: AFP