In Kalmykia, "Elistinskaya Panorama" newspaper is still away from parliament

Journalists of "Elistinskaya Panorama" are still not admitted to the Parliament of Kalmykia - National Hural, referring to the absence of the necessary accreditation.

Vera Brezgina, deputy editor-in-chief of the edition, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that on October 13 the lawyers of the "Elistinskaya Panorama" (EP) were planning to appeal against the decision of the Investigatory Department of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office for the Republic of Kalmykia (IDPO for RK) to refuse to initiate a criminal case under Article 144 ("Hindrance to lawful activities of mass media"), passed on Brezgina's complaint.

In total, on September 25, the newspaper filed three complaints: to the Russian Committee for Communications Supervision ("Rossvyaznadzor"), to Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Kalmykia Vladimir Kondakov, and thirdly, in the context of the clash with the militia and Bairt Galzanov, press secretary of President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, a complaint was lodged asking to bring them to criminal liability under the above Article 144 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This complaint arrived by subordination to the Investigatory Department of the IDPO for RK, which refused to initiate a criminal case "for absence of crime attributes".

Ms Brezgina has added that "Rossvyaznadzor" continued to check the circumstances listed in the complaint, and the Prosecutor's Office was waiting for conclusions of the "Rossvyaznadzor". Thus, since September 22, the newspaper founded by Mayoralty of Elista has been deprived of the possibility to cover the National Hural sessions. "They just wouldn't let us in," she said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Besides, starting this April, the newspaper was forced to get printed not in Elista, but in the city of Volzhskiy, Volgograd Region, some 400 kilometres away from Elista. In April, the printing house in Elista refused to print the newspaper, and the EP brought an action. "We've won the litigation with the printing house, and they were obliged to fulfil the municipal contract and print the newspaper, but they appealed against the ruling, and now we wait till the appeal is considered in the city of Essentuki," said Vera Brezgina.