The leadership of United Russia fired the head of the executive committee of the Ruza district, who sent out letters about the mandatory participation of state employees in the primaries. Administrative interference discredits the primaries, the party explained

Photo: Lori

United Russia dismissed the head of the Russian executive committee of the party, Vyacheslav Dyachkov. This decision was made at a meeting of the federal organizing committee for the preliminary voting on Friday.

Dyachkov previously sent letters to the heads of settlements who are members of the local political council of the party, in which he asked them to ensure their attendance at the branch forum called “Get involved”, dedicated to mobilization activities in the run-up to the primaries. The general text of the messages was published in RBC. Dyachkov himself confirmed its authenticity, explaining that all the heads of urban and rural settlements and the people whose presence he asked to ensure are members of United Russia.

Secretary of the General Council of United Russia Sergei Neverov confirmed at a meeting on April 29 that the head of the executive committee of the party branch in the Ruza district of the Moscow region, Vyacheslav Dyachkov, actually sent letters in which he invited not only party members to attend the forum.

On the party letterhead, the party functionary gave instructions to the heads of settlements - party members - to ensure that employees of budgetary institutions attend the event, he added. “And then publications appear that say that people will almost be forced to attend the preliminary vote in order to ensure turnout in the same way,” Neverov noted.

It is unacceptable for heads of settlements or districts who are party members to send letters with instructions to ensure turnout, Neverov responded on Friday. According to him, such administrative interference in the preliminary voting discredits both the party and the procedure itself.

Previously , sources in the party told RBC that the leaders of local branches of United Russia received instructions from their superiors to ensure a turnout of at least 10% of the total number of Russian voters on the day of the party primaries (May 22).

“It is important for us how many people come to the polling stations: this is the task of each candidate - to bring his supporters. And it’s important for us to see who people support, so that we can then form a party list specifically from candidates who have secured the support of our citizens,” Neverov explained on Friday.

The leadership of United Russia previously expected that many Russians would take part in the primaries. Last September, Secretary Neverov told RBC that he expected turnout to be 10–15% of the total number of voters.

United Russia launched the primaries at the first stage of their pre-election congress in early February. Based on the results of the preliminary voting, those who will be included in the election list of the party in power should be determined. Now candidates speak at debates and communicate with voters, and the preliminary voting itself in all regions will take place on the same day - May 22.

United Russia fired a functionary for forcing state employees to participate in primaries