RUSSIA: Russian independent election watchdog 'Golos' says presidential campaign unfair

Record ID: 327746

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russian independent election watchdog 'Golos' says presidential campaign unfair
  • Date: 31st January 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JANUARY 30, 2012) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC ON STREET PEDESTRIANS ON STREET INDEPENDENT MONITORING GROUP GOLOS NEWS CONFERENCE STARTING JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) GOLOS HEAD LILIYA SHIBANOVA SAYING "Despite mass protest actions against the December 4 election results and some attempts by authorities to promise certain measures for political liberalisation and the improvement of election procedures, the vertical structure of the election commissions, formed with the active participation of the government, remain untouchable, with the most notorious heads of election commissions remaining in office. At the same time, obvious pressure attempts on representatives of opposition and independent public organisations as well as their threatening continue." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) GOLOS HEAD LILIYA SHIBANOVA SAYING: "The registration process for presidential candidates is the most vivid example of the legal inequality of parliamentary parties' candidates chances to be registered when compared to the representatives of other parties and independent candidates." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) GOLOS RESEARCH CHIEF ALEXANDER KYNEV SAYING: "It's quite clear that the two million signatures (needed to be registered as extra-parliamentary party's or independent candidate) is an exaggerated and unreal figure. Here we have at work a rule that if you have friends, you have it all, but everyone else has the law. (In other words) the mere wish of the controlling bodies is enough to oust any candidate, because this is the way the legislation is organised." CAMERA OPERATOR NEWS CONFERENCE PEOPLE ON STREET BUSINESS CENTRE NAME SIGN ON WALL MOSCOW CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT EXPERTS TAKING SEATS BEFORE NEWS CONFERENCE CARNEGIE BROCHURES ON TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT POLITICAL ANALYST NIKOLAY PETROV, SAYING: "The last (Dec. 4 parliamentary) elections were not dirtier than the previous ones, but to some extent were even cleaner. The problem is that the social and political as well as social and psychological situation have changed, and the reaction of the people to what was happening was different. This is actually what the problem of the managed democracy is all about, which means that one should understand that the boundaries managed democracy are changing all the time." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT POLITICAL ANALYST NIKOLAY PETROV, SAYING: "There are a lot of various speculations as to whether the 100 thousand people, who took to the street for protest on December 24, represent the country's population or 140 million people outweigh them. In my opinion, it's pointless to match them against each other. There is no stand-off between 100 thousand and 140 million people - there are just 100 thousand mostly active and energetic citizens of the country who are expressing the will and interests of a much bigger group of citizens." JOURNALISTS CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT BROCHURE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8KAVHBFAY7MAF0YZHCDZX17DO
  • Story Text: Russia's independent election watchdog Golos experts said on Monday (January 30) the presidential campaign in Russia put the candidates in unequal situations and the election legislation still allows eventual fraud and ousting candidates who are not welcome by the authorities.
    "Despite mass protest actions against the December 4 election results and some attempts by authorities to promise certain measures for political liberalisation and the improvement of election procedures, the vertical structure of the election commissions, formed with the active participation of the government, remain untouchable, with the most notorious heads of election commissions remaining in office. At the same time, obvious pressure attempts on representatives of opposition and independent public organisations as well as their threatening continue," Golos head Liliya Shibanova told journalists on Monday.
    Candidates who do not represent a parliamentary party are required to gather 2 million signatures from at least 40 regions of Russia, and if more than 5 percent of the signatures are deemed invalid, a candidate may not be registered for the election, according to Russian legislation.
    "The registration process for presidential candidates is the most vivid example of the legal inequality of parliamentary parties' candidates chances to be registered when compared to the representatives of other parties and independent candidates," Shibanova added.
    Russian election authorities barred liberal opposition leader and longtime Kremlin critic Grigory Yavlinsky last week from standing against Russian Prime MInister Vladimir Putin in a presidential election in March, boosting Putin's chances of winning in the first round.
    In a decision dismissed as politically motivated by the opposition, election officials said last week that more than a quarter of the 2 million supporters' signatures required to back Yavlinsky's candidacy were invalid -- some five times higher than the permitted margin of error.
    "It's quite clear that the two million signatures (needed to be registered as extra-parliamentary party's or independent candidate) is an exaggerated and unreal figure. Here we have at work a rule that if you have friends, you have it all, but everyone else has the law. (In other words) the mere wish of the controlling bodies is enough to oust any candidate, because this is the way the legislation is organised," Golos research chief Alexander Kynev said.
    The Russian Central Election Commssion (CEC) also confirmed last week that minor candidate Irkutsk Governor Dmitry Mezentsev would be barred from running for lack of verified signatures, but approved the candidacy of Russia's third richest man Mikhail Prokhorov who is widely seen as less of a challenge than a crutch for Putin; a safe candidate who could lend legitimacy to the presidential election and split the opposition.
    The other three candidates were chosen by parties represented in the parliament: Communist candidate Gennady Zyuganov, Liberal Democratic party candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Just Russia party head Sergei Mironov.
    Putin is nevertheless expected to win the march presidential election despite declining popularity and big December election protests that exposed dissatisfaction among many Russians with his plan to return to the Kremlin.
    Carnegie Endowment expert Nikolay Petrov thinks that alleged election fraud was not the only reason for tens of thousands taking to the streets, but the changing situation in the country contributed to the protests.
    "The last elections were not dirtier than the previous ones, but to some extent were even cleaner. The problem is that the social and political as well as social and psychological situation have changed, and the reaction of the people to what was happening was different. This is actually what the problem of the managed democracy is all about, which means that one should understand that the boundaries of managed democracy are changing all the time," Petov told journalists during a news conference on Monday.
    Putin enjoys strong support in many Russian regions, but faces a groundswell of criticism from the urban middle class which, effectively excluded from mainstream politics, has taken to the Internet to call for sweeping electoral reform.
    "There are a lot of various speculations as to whether the 100,000 people, who took to the street for protest on December 24, represent the country's population or 140 million people outweigh them. In my opinion, it's pointless to match them against each other. There is no standoff between 100,000 and 140 million people - there are just 100,000 mostly active and energetic citizens of the country who are expressing the will and interests of a much bigger group of citizens," Petrov added.
    Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have promised electoral reforms to ease barriers preventing small parties like Yabloko from winning seats in the future and launched a much-publicised webcam installation in polling stations, designed to provide video surveillance and apparently ensure transparency during upcoming presidential elections.
    Seeking to keep up the pressure on officials, opposition protest leaders plan a march in the heart of Moscow on Feb. 4. Moscow city officials gave permission for 50,000 people to attend the rally following days of tense negotiations this week, but demonstrations planned in other Russian cities have yet to be given the go-ahead by authorities.
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