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Putin admits that administrative resources are sometimes used in elections

Putin considers occasional use of administrative resources to be a result of local traditions

MOSCOW, February 1 (Itar-Tass) —— Prime Minister Vladimir Putin admitted that administrative resources are sometimes used in elections, but he believes that this is often a result of local traditions.

“I can’t say that no administrative resource is used,” Putin said at a meeting with young lawyers who plan to monitor the upcoming presidential election.

However he stressed that “they [resources] are very different in diverse regions of Russia”.

Putin drew a parallel with the situation in Lebanon. “There are certain rules based on traditions there: if the president is from one ethnic group, the prime minister must be from another group, and the chairman of the parliament from a third one,” the prime minister said on Wednesday, February 1.

In his opinion, a similar situation exists in some Russian regions. “In a democratic society a person should be elected to a high post based on his personal and business qualities,” he said.

“We have almost the same situation in our Dagestan, de-facto, not by law,” Putin said.

After the Soviet system collapsed many people opted out for religion, and the opinion of imams is very strong in some regions. In Chechnya, there is strong discipline when the head of a clan decides to support a certain candidate and translates his decision to his family. “Hence, such unanimity during voting,” Putin added.

“But let me point out once again that I cannot say that there are no violations in the use of administrative resources,” the prime minister said.