MOSCOW, January 27 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russian Central Elections Commission (CEC) denied registration as a presidential candidate Friday to Governor of the Irkutsk Region Dmitry Mezentsev, who was planning to run for president as a self-nominee.
This decision was caused by the problems with the signup lists. Already at the beginning of their inspection it was found that after the removal of false and invalid signatures a total number of signatures will be less than required two million signatures, even that the percentage of false signatures did not exceed permitted five percent.
Mezentsev did not attend a CEC meeting and was staying in Irkutsk. He was not planning to challenge the results of the inspection of his signup lists.
The CEC will consider the denial for registration to one of the founders of the Yabloko Party Grigory Yavlinsky. The inspection exposed the percentage of false signatures exceeds 25% in his signup lists.
A CEC member Yelena Dubrovina again voiced her special opinion about both contenders, to whom the CEC denies registration on Friday. She demanded already for the second time to register all candidates, which submitted two million signatures. The legislation grants this right to the CEC, she noted.
Another CEC member Boris Ebzeyev said with regret that he cannot support Mezentsev’s registration. “The CEC is nothing but the agency registering the fact. This status is determined for the CEC by the State Duma and the Federation Council,” he said. The CEC member noted that the election committee cannot doubt the position of lawmakers, “unless the law is cancelled.” “The State Duma and political parties represented in the lower house of parliament should hear what is said there,” he noted. So, they put it clear that critical remarks, which are voiced by the parliamentary parties, contradict the legislation, which they approve.
CEC Chairman Churov noted that “the address of lawmakers is possible and permissible.” “Their address with the demands to violate the law is impermissible,” he underlined.