"Pravoe Delo" in Volgograd cancels agreement on fair elections

Andrei Kuprikov, Chairman of the Volgograd regional branch of the "Pravoe Delo" (Right Cause) claimed that he treated the concluded agreement "For Fair Elections" as invalid.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 6 representatives of the regional branches of the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party and the "Pravoe Delo" Party signed an agreement to hold a fair election campaign. The initiative to sign the agreement was presented by the Volgograd Regional Coordinating Council of the "All-Russia People's Front".

According to Andrei Kuprikov, he had at least two reasons to make an appropriate statement.

The first of the reasons was an attempt committed by the local representatives of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party to accuse via the court the Volgograd branch of the "Pravoe Delo" Party of using in its election campaign materials allegedly not coordinated with the rights holders. This complaint was dismissed at the meeting of the Regional Election Commission; however, the leader of the "Pravoe Delo" Party treated the complaint as, according to his definition, "unfriendly, unethical step."

The second reason was the refusal of the municipal TV to place the party's election campaign materials for a fee.

The party received an official notification from the local TV channel, stating cancellation of broadcasting the election campaign materials due to force majeure and sudden failure of equipment belonging to the TV channel, the website of the regional branch of the "Pravoe Delo" Party reports.

Andrei Kuprikov declared that the above facts allow the "Pravoe Delo" Party to treat the agreement "For Fair Elections" as invalid and tore the copy of the agreement in front of cameras and video reporters. He has added that the opponents violated "all possible moral and ethical standards," the edition "V1" reports.

The Volgograd regional political council of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party stated that they would not comment on the Kuprikov's statements, since they treated them as "unfounded", the IA "Vysota-102" (Altitude 102) reports.