Voter turnout was better when not voting could get you killed

According to the NY Times, our beloved former communist, now EU countries didn't really care about the most recent parliamentary elections.

The average turnout for the 10 former Communist countries was just over 31 percent, compared with an overall average of 43.1 percent for the 27-nation European Union. The turnout in Eastern Europe was uneven. More than 52 percent voted in Latvia because, analysts said, the parliamentary election coincided with local government elections; only 20 percent voted in Lithuania.

Why? Several theories. Most prominent, lack of information or um proof as to how the EU makes people's lives better in these countries. Ouch.

But honestly, isn't it the right of those living in democratic countries to abstain from voting? Maybe all the candidates weren't worth voting for? Silver lining?