Chechen authorities' assurances do not stop campaign of coercion to join "Edinaya Rossiya" Party

In Chechnya, public sector employees are still being obliged to join the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party, despite a refutation voiced by the republic's authorities, local residents say. Membership in the ruling party will not give anything to ordinary employees, but it can serve as a sign of person's loyalty, emphasize political analysts.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Chechen public sector employees claimed they were obliged to join the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party under the threat of dismissals.

Contrary to the statements voiced by top-ranking members of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party and the leader of Chechnya, local public sector employees continue to declare coercion to join the ranks of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party.

Kheda, a resident of Grozny, said that she had filled out an application to join the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party at a request of her son's class teacher.

According to a political analyst, the demonstration by Ramzan Kadyrov of a non-partisan minister who claims he was not obliged to join the ruling party is unconvincing, since there are non-partisan leaders in all regions.

Sergey Zhavoronkov, an expert at the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, does not see any connection between reports about requests to join the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party and a recent report about the high rating of Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya. The expert agrees that the replenishment of the ruling party does not give any specific privileges to the leaders of the region.