#13 - JRL 2009-168 - JRL Home
Russian Communist Party faces obstacles in election campaign
Interfax

Moscow, 9 September: The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) is facing obstacles in Moscow to hold a regular canvassing campaign ahead of the Moscow city duma election scheduled for 11 October, first deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the party and deputy speaker of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov said.

"Over previous years we have faced various violations during Moscow elections, however, both the election campaign and elections themselves have been held in a more civilised way than in some other regions of the country," Melnikov said.

However, he noted the situation had changed: "If earlier one tried not to allow impudence and dirty statements against our party, today the situation has changed".

In order to confirm his words Melnikov cited several facts. He said that on 5 September the newspaper Pravda paid for 68 billboards to be placed in Moscow for a period of one month. Under the newspaper Pravda logo the billboards contained an appeal to voters: "Are you living or surviving in this city? Face the reality!".

Meanwhile, Melnikov said, that already on 7 September all 68 billboards placed in the city were removed. "Referring to the Moscow government's department for advertisement, we were told that these places were meant for social ads; moreover, preventive repairs should be made to the constructions where ads were placed in central Moscow," he said.

Besides, he added that the billboards of the Liberal Democratic Party, for example, were placed all across Moscow and no one intended to remove them.

Melnikov added that only two hours had been given to Communists for their canvassing on two (Moscow) city TV channels, while their ads on the underground had been completely banned. "Our canvassing capabilities are limited to the highest degree," he said.

Besides, he said that prefect of the Moscow Northern Administrative District Oleg Mitvol "took the liberty of making dirty statements against, Oleg Smolin, a State Duma deputy from the CPRF faction and an independent MP", who heads the party's list of candidates in this district.

"Mitvol said that Oleg Nikolayevich (Smolin) allegedly had assisted to lease the room of a gay-club to the association of the blind. We have received an official reply that completely refutes this accusation," Melnikov said.

He added that this week the CPRF's leadership intends to address the Russian leadership on the matter and send a relevant appeal to the city arbitration court.

Interfax has received no comment from the Moscow city authorities on these appeals yet.

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