Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) reported this Friday (2) that it detected irregularities in the signatures collected by opponent Boris Nadezhdin, the only candidate who opposes the war in Ukraine, to participate in the March presidential elections.
“There are errors that cause surprise,” said Nikolai Bulaev, deputy head of the CEC, who invited Nadezhdin to appear at the commission’s headquarters next Monday (5).
Bulaev, who also referred to the signatures sent by the candidate of the Communist Party of Russia Sergei Malinkovich, stated that the CEC ignores “errors in transcription” of the names and surnames of the signatories, but another thing is when it comes to “dead souls”.
“When we see dozens of people who are no longer in this world, but have signed, doubts arise about the ethical standards that govern the work of signature collectors. To some extent, the candidate is directly involved in this,” he said.
The deputy head of the CEC highlighted that the commission sends thousands of applications to the Ministry of Interior to verify the authenticity of the signatures presented by candidates.
In this regard, the head of the CEC, Ela Pamfilova, assured that the review of the signatures of the last candidates will end on Monday and, at the latest, on Wednesday (7) “the verdict” will be announced. “The Central Electoral Commission will act strictly in accordance with current legislation,” she said.
In response, Nadezhdin posted a message on his Telegram channel in which he again insisted that if he is not registered, he reserves the right to go to court. “Even though we have to go to trial against a state structure, against power,” he said.
Analysts and opponents believe that Nadezhdin has little chance of being registered, as the current government fears that he will bring together all those dissatisfied not only with the war, but with the Kremlin's authoritarian turn.
Nadezhdin presented the necessary signatures (105 thousand) to the CEC on Wednesday (31) to register his candidacy for the presidential elections on March 17, in which the current Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, will run for re-election.
He presented the signatures after receiving unanimous support from the opposition in prison and exile for his promise to stop the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, the first point of his electoral program.
Nadezhdin described the start of the war in Ukraine as a “fatal error”, although he was unwilling to return to Kiev the territories annexed by the Russian Army.
Even though he publicly assured that he would not do so, Putin reformed the Constitution in 2020 to be able to run for re-election, something he could do again in six years and, in this way, remain in the Kremlin until 2036. (With EFE Agency)
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