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Yabloko hopes to clear 7-percent barrier in parliamentary elections

"We're setting an ambitious task - to create our own faction at the State Duma," said Party leader Sergei Mitrokhin

MOSCOW, September 19 (Itar-Tass) — The Yabloko Party which was the first to have its election list registered at the Central Election Commission, said it hoped to create a faction at the 6th State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament.

"We're setting an ambitious task - to create our own faction at the State Duma. To this end, we have to clear the 7-percent barrier with a certain margin," Party leader Sergei Mitrokhin said in response to an Itar-Tass question.

"We're aiming at 10 percent (of votes)," he said.

Fielding reporters' questions, Mitrokhin regretted the difficult situation in the Right Cause Party. "We support honest competition and wish Right Cause to overcome the difficulties they have encountered," he underlined.

At the same time, he did not conceal the fact that if Right Cause does not participate in the election, "we'll be urging its supporters to cast their votes for Yabloko."

Both political parties have much in common on their programs, such as the protection of citizens, rights and freedoms and small business' interests.

"I wish Right Causes success, and hope that it (the Party) will cope with all the difficulties," Mitrokhin reiterated.

Answering an Itar-Tass question, Mitrokhin said Yabloko would open its special election account on Tuesday and begin to collect signatures.

"We'll try to begin to gather signatures as early as tomorrow," he said, "we'll also try to be leader at all the election campaign stages, including the voting."