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Prokhorov said web cameras at polling stations “waste of money”

The web cameras for online monitoring of the election cost 13 billion rubles

MOSCOW, February 10 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian presidential hopeful and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov does not believe the initiative of his rival and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to install web cameras at polling stations will ensure a fair election on March 4.

“It’s a waste of money as cameras will not monitor the places where votes are counted,” he told reporters on Thursday after meeting OSCE ODIHR observers.

The web cameras for online monitoring of the election cost 13 billion rubles.

Prokhorov said he would urge Central Election Commission head Vladimir Churov to amend some regulations which he said impede the work of observers.

“We want to propose that observers shall be present at polling stations on the election day from the first to the last minute and are allowed to be present anywhere they want, also when (vote-counting) protocols are done and data introduced into the unified system which is the basis for election results,” he said.

“We want to hold a fair election and send monitors to all 100 thousand polling stations,” he added.

Prokhorov said he discussed with ODIHR monitors “most painful problems that cause concern in our country and of the international community.”

“Everybody wants a fair election. We have to make the election the fairest in the history of our country. We need a legitimate authority,” he said.