Opposition to send observers to all Sochi polling stations

About 500 observers from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the "Yabloko" Party, the "Civil Initiative" and Alexei Navalny's office will come to Sochi polling stations to monitor the voting at the Russian presidential election, sources from the opposition have stated today.

According to Igor Vasiliev, the leader of the local CPRF branch, the list of his party contains 199 observers. They were and are being trained at the local party's office, he explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"We've used all the training forms – from lectures at the office down to online training," Mr Vasiliev said, noting that with observers' help, they have already revealed two areas of possible falsifications, which will be paid special attention to.

Konstantin Zykov, the coordinator of Navalny's office in Sochi, said that intensive training of observers from among supporters of Alexei Navalny and the "Yabloko" Party was held at the office; half of them already have some experience of working at Precinct Election Commissions (PECs).

According to Irene Ilienkova, the leader of the "Yabloko" branch in Sochi and the confidant of presidential candidate Grigory Yavlinsky, to date her branch has issued 300 observer's referrals. "Basically, these are young people; they want changes, so they come to us with this aim in mind," Ms Ilienkova has stated.

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