Translated material
“This is not an election”: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation found numerous violations in Altai
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation recorded numerous violations in the elections of the head of the Altai Republic and deputies of the regional state assembly, Taiga.info was told in the Gorno-Altai city committee of the party. Voters are given several identical ballots and threatened with dismissal if they do not support the current government.
Communist Party observers found numerous violations in the elections of the head of Altai and deputies of the regional State Assembly in Gorno-Altaisk, Anna Cherepanova, first secretary of the Communist Party city committee, told Taiga.info.
“Whoever votes for [acting head Oleg] Horohordin was given two [duplicate] ballots to be thrown in for him. There are many violations, intimidation of voters is underway,” Cherepanova said. “This is not an election. It is difficult to call it an election, because there are many violations. Elections are when honestly, people come, express their civil position as they see fit, and not as they are pressured from above. <...> I can't bring myself to call it an election. People are afraid to testify because they threaten.”
According to Cherepanova, the authorities use administrative resources: “They break through the knee, threaten families, up to and including dismissal from work.”
The election of the head of Altai takes place after the resignation of the long-term head of the region Alexander Berdnikov in March 2019. Oleg Khorokhordin (“United Russia”), appointed by President Vladimir Putin, the acting head, Viktor Romashkin, leader of the Communist Party Republican Committee, and Dmitry Sofronov (LDPR), deputy of the Gorno-Altaisk city council, take part in them.