Moscow Times
September 13, 2005
Kremlin, Politicians Call for Fair Chechnya Vote
By Anatoly Medetsky
Staff Writer
A group of senior Kremlin officials and party leaders made a whistle-stop visit to Chechnya on Monday to call for the republic's upcoming parliamentary elections to be fair and open to opponents of the Chechen administration.
"We are all interested in democratic, transparent and honest elections," Dmitry Kozak, presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District, said after the Grozny meeting, Channel One reported.
The Kremlin-organized visit appeared to be aimed at raising voter turnout for the Nov. 27 elections.
Vladislav Surkov, deputy head of the presidential administration, warned that the elections would not immediately cure Chechnya of its problems, but he urged participation nonetheless.
"Perhaps democracy isn't a panacea. It cannot be said that once we have a parliament ... the people will immediately live well," he said in comments broadcast on Rossia state television. "Perhaps it won't be enough, but it is absolutely necessary."
The participants of the meeting, held in Kozak's Grozny office, included Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, senior United Russia member Vyacheslav Volodin, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Rodina leader Dmitry Rogozin, Union of Right Forces leader Nikita Belykh, senior Communist Party member Sergei Reshulsky, senior Yabloko member Galina Mikhalyova and local representatives of the parties.
Kozak and Alkhanov said all parties would be able to contest the elections if they complied with the law.
"The doors to the parliament will be open to everybody who acts within the law and who is interested in a stable, thriving and economically powerful Chechnya," Kozak said, Interfax reported.
Yabloko proposed that the authorities invite election monitors from the Council of Europe and the majority of parties supported the idea, Sharip Tsuruyev, head of the party's local branch, said by telephone from Grozny.
Alexei Titkov, an analyst at the Institute of Regional Policy, said the Kremlin held the meeting to encourage people disillusioned with politics in Chechnya to vote and run in the elections.
"What most likely will be important for the Russian authorities is that, unlike other regions, ... the local population is excited about the elections," he said.
Officials are likely to report inflated turnout figures to create a rosy picture of the elections, as they reportedly did in previous elections in Chechnya, he said.
The Chechen parliament will consist of an upper chamber, the 21-seat Republic Council, and a 60-seat People's Assembly.