23:55, 5 November 2004

Parliamentary elections to be held in Chechnya in 2005

Elections for the Chechen parliament will most likely be held in October 2005, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov told a press conference in Grozny yesterday, November 4. Earlier the Chechen leadership claimed holding the parliamentary elections as early as the spring of 2005.

"The elections must be held, and we plan to do it in about October 2004," Alu Alkhanov said. "I met with Chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission Aleksandr Veshnyakov in Moscow and discussed the issue concerning the elections for the Chechen parliament with him and other politicians. We were told we could arrange them when we decided the situation was ready for it." In his words, the forthcoming elections are a very important stage in the cause of stabilizing the situation in Chechnya, and "they should be perfectly prepared."

Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot