2 December 2007 – for this date the elections in the State Duma of the Russian Federation are set. Many independent foreign observers from various international organizations were going to come on this period. Among them there was the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). But the Russian authorities did their best to frustrate participation of the observers from the OSCE. As a result, the OSCE has simply refused to participate in supervision over such “elections” (23–NOV–07).
Written by Inna Komar HRH/Moscow
Sources: http://www.hro.org, http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/news/default.stm
No OSCE independent observers on the parliamentary elections in the Russian Federation
Recently the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has informed the Russian authorities on refusal to participate in supervision of elections in the State Duma. In the letter directed to the Central Electoral Commission, Christian Strohal (right), the director-ambassador of the OSCE, expressed a regret for that , but declared, that the observers wouldn`t be able to operate in conditions of “delays and restrictions”. In the ODIHR statement it was said, that the Office was ready to send to the Russian Federation its observers, even despite the fact of “unprecedented restrictions, by which the invitation from the Russian authorities had been accompanied”.
The OSCE was going to direct to the Russian Federation 20 experts on 7 November and 50 more – on 15 November. Earlier the Russian authorities have declared, that they intend to invite smaller number of foreign observers, than they usually do. Moreover, Moscow declared that it would invite the foreign observers, but regulate their work. Under the OSCE representatives statement, after that its experts had problems with getting visas. Besides, at various times, representatives of the Russian authorities said that the Russian Federation didn`t need long-term observers as it was a stable country.
Moscow reaction
Michael Kamynin (right), an official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, presented the reaction of the Russian authorities on the last statement of the ODIHR. He declared that the ODIHR had the right to choose whether to send its observers or not on parliamentary elections to the Russian Federation. He also added that it wasn`t a great tragedy for the Ministry and that they didn`t dramatize its decision. He reminded that elections were our sovereign right and directed on democracy strengthening in the Russian Federation.
The Central Electoral Commission named the OSCE position not constructive and accused ODIHR in non-observance of its own obligations.
26 November 2007 President Vladimir Putin (right) made a statement, in which he accused OSCE of attempt to make elections in the Duma illegitimate. He confirmed that the ODIHR refusal to send its observers on elections to the Russian Federation was caused by the USA, that it was done by the US State Department recommendation. He added that this fact would be taken into account in further development of relations between two countries. The OSCE totally denied these charges.
. But the Russian authorities did their best to frustrate participation of the observers from the OSCE. As a result, the OSCE has simply refused to participate in supervision over such ){kind=link}