Residents of Chechnya unhappy with opposition's role at elections

As stated by the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Chechnya, everything is ready for the elections of deputies of the City Council of Gudermes and the village council of Novy Benoy. Local residents have noted that the candidates from the party in power have almost no competitors at the elections.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 13 the elections will be held in the two municipal formations of the district – in the city of Gudermes, they will be held under the proportional system, and Novy Benoy – under the majority system.

The source from the CEC has stated that no violations have been fixed in the course of the preparations for the elections in the Gudermes District.

Local residents and activists of the Gudermes District talk about the pre-defined outcomes of the elections. According to their and observers' stories, in recent years, elections in Chechnya, from the federal and down to municipal ones, are held without a real rivalry of the participating parties and individual candidates.

"Traditionally, we see 'victories' of candidates of the "Edinaya Rossiya' (United Russia) Party. They inalterably seem to win over 90 percent of votes and supporters. Besides, our republic has no real opposition to the authorities; therefore there is no real rivalry," said the head of a local NGO.

Residents of the district are also sceptical in relation to the forthcoming elections of local bodies of self-government.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.