RUSSIA: ST PETERSBERG VOTES IN LOCAL ELECTIONS DESPITE RUMOURS OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

Record ID: 328630

  • Title: RUSSIA: ST PETERSBERG VOTES IN LOCAL ELECTIONS DESPITE RUMOURS OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
  • Date: 7th December 1998
  • Summary: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 5, 1998) (REUTERS) 1. GV ST PETERSBURG STREET SCENES (4 SHOTS) 0.18 2. MV WOMAN SWEEPING STREET /HOARDING WITH ELECTION POSTERS 0.27 3. GV ST PETERSBERG GOVERNMENT BUILDING WITH FLAGS OUTSIDE 0.30 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YULI RYBAKOV, RUSSIAN DUMA DEPUTY, MEMBER OF "DEMOCRATIC CHOICE OF RUSSIA" PARTY SAYING (RUSSIAN) "The murder of deputy Galina Starovoitova was a shock for our city but the killers didn't manage to reach their aim". 0.56 5. GV EXTERIOR OF A POLLING STATION 1.01 6. GV INTERIOR OF A POLLING STATION/ WORKERS CHECKING IDENTIFICATION 1.03 7. SV PEOPLE WAITING TO VOTE 1.09 8. SV WOMAN HAVING VOTING DOCUMENTS CHECKED 1.12 9. SV ELECTORAL OFFICIAL CHECKING VOTERS IDENTIFICATION AGAINST LISTS 1.16 10. MV VOTER AND OFFICIALS 1.19 11. SV ELECTION DOCUMENT 1.26 12. GV PEOPLE WAITING TO VOTE INCLUDING VLADIMIR YAKOVLEV 1.30 13. SV MEDIA 1.31 14. SV ST PETERSBURG GOVERNOR VLADIMIR YAKOVLEV VOTING (2 SHOTS) 1.44 15. GV POLLING STATION 1.46 16. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ST PETERSBURG GOVERNOR VLADIMIR YAKOVLEV SAYING: "Some candidates, those who are trying to rig the elections, don't simply respect themselves. If they don't behave honestly during the election campaign what can we expect from them when they're in office." 2.02 17. GV POLLING STATION INTERIOR 2.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA6KZ0PEJTIWERG6B7LA2Q71E74
  • Story Text: Voters are heading to the polls in St Petersburg to
    elect a local assembly.

    But the campaign leading up to the vote has been marred by
    reports of vote-trading, bribery and false candidates.Some
    media reports have even linked last month's vicious killing of
    parliamentary deputy Galina Starovoitova to the elections.

    Russia's second city began voting on Sunday (December
    6) for a new legislative assembly after a campaign marred by
    violence and corruption and overshadowed by the murder of
    prominent democratic leader Galina Starovoitova.

    Nearly 600 candidates are competing for 50 seats in the
    assembly in the two-stage elections.A second round will be
    held on December 20 in electoral districts where no candidate
    wins over 50 percent of the vote in the first round.

    Accusations of sleazy campaigning and corruption has led
    the beautiful 18th century city to be dubbed Russia's "crime
    capital."
    Physical attacks on candidates and campaign workers,
    drive-by shootings and widespread allegations of intimidation
    and vote-buying has marked the run-up to the vote.

    The worst incident occurred on November 20 when Duma
    deputy Galina Starovoitova died in a hail of automatic gunfire
    outside her St Petersburg apartment.Her murder is believed to
    have been linked to the election.Starovoitova herself was not
    a candidate in Sunday's poll but had helped to choose a new
    group of candidates, known as Northern Capital, to challenge
    established figures.


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