Experiment plan exceeded

Alexander Veshnyakov is preparing for civilized elections to the State Duma

Yesterday, Chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission Alexander Veshnyakov spent the whole day in Krasnoyarsk. Formally, he came to participate in a regional seminar of chairmen and secretaries of territorial election commissions. However, according to local political scientists, this trip of the Central Election Commission chairman to Siberia is a kind of reconnaissance in force before the elections to the State Duma.

The Krasnoyarsk Territory has twice presented the Russian Central Election Commission with unpleasant surprises. Last September, the regional election commission headed by Georgy Kostrykin declared the elections for the governor of the region invalid. It took the intervention of Vladimir Putin and a whole series of courts so that Alexander Khloponin, who received the most votes, was able to receive the certificate of the head of the regional administration. Alexander Veshnyakov then even had to interrupt his vacation in order to personally hold several meetings of the Central Election Commission on this issue.

The second unpleasant incident happened in Norilsk during the mayoral elections. In April 2003, the main contender for this post, Valery Melnikov, was removed by the court “from the race” for financial violations. The remaining candidates, not wanting to be a laughing stock, refused to continue the fight, and the city election commission had to announce repeat elections on October 19. At the same time, the local election commission rashly violated the law. Repeat elections must indeed take place no later than October 26, but this can be announced no earlier than 70 days after the failed elections.

Yesterday, Alexander Veshnyakov said that “the plan for conducting experiments of this kind in the Krasnoyarsk Territory has already been exceeded.” To prevent such incidents from happening in the future, the CEC has made a lot of efforts. By court decision, the former regional electoral commission, headed by the irreconcilable Georgy Kostrykin, was dissolved. The new regional election commission was headed by Norilsk Nickel employee Konstantin Bocharov. In addition, major changes have been made to the legislation regulating the process of preparing and holding elections. Mr. Veshnyakov categorically denies the accusation that the Central Election Commission has become a bureaucratic organization that is reshaping the country’s electoral system: “We are fighting “black” money, and tightening financial discipline is the only path to civilized elections.”

Alexander KLIMOVICH, Krasnoyarsk