Five brave

On September 20, a Memorandum of Coordination of Actions to Organize Inter-Party Observation of the Duma Elections in 2011 was signed. It was signed by representatives of the Moscow branches of five opposition (or conditionally opposition, as you like) parties: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, A Just Russia, Yabloko and Patriots of Russia. The memorandum states that the Moscow branches of the parties consider it necessary to organize active observation at polling stations on voting day, and will make every possible effort to attract human and material resources in order to ensure the work of pre-organized groups of observers in all precinct and territorial election commissions on voting day , as well as to ensure that their representatives in election commissions at various levels act in concert. In addition, they are going to develop a procedure for disclosing information about observation, including data on voting results, organize training for observers and publish methodological materials, take all possible measures to record all violations of election legislation noticed during the elections, including by means of video recording, and report them to the attention of the media and the entire society, and prosecution of those responsible in accordance with the law. And the capital’s branches will focus their efforts on creating conditions in society for the maximum possible participation of Muscovites in voting. The parties place emphasis on the representation of their observers at polling stations - both the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia say about 15 thousand people - and on detailed video surveillance.

The participation of “Right Cause” was also expected at the meeting, but no one came - the party is clearly busy right now with drawing up the federal list, it has no time to sign memorandums.

Representatives of the Moscow branches of the parties shook hands and in every possible way demonstrated that they were united by the ideas of protecting the rights of citizens, including the expression of will, as well as indignation at the activities of United Russia, which is making every effort to falsify the election results. Representatives of the LDPR and A Just Russia were asked how cooperation is possible if their leaders are suing each other. The coordinator of the Moscow branch of the LDPR, Viktor Sobolev, and the chairman of the Council of the Moscow branch of A Just Russia, Alexander Ageev, who were so united by the above feelings and ideas that they even threw themselves into each other’s arms, almost unanimously said that their parties have completely different ideologies, but this should not stop them from standing together against election irregularities. It should be noted that the latest scandals between parties, as a result of which the case ends up in court, are not very related to differences in ideologies. The leader of the LDPR, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, accused the leader of A Just Russia, Sergei Mironov, of selling seats in the Federation Council, and the party itself of selling seats on the election list, and said that there would be no SR in the new parliament. In response to this, deputies from A Just Russia demanded that Zhirinovsky be prohibited from speaking from the Duma rostrum.