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United Russia recognizes its defeat at Yaroslavl mayor’s elections

However a 100-percent victory in municipal elections would look strange rather than natural

MOSCOW, April 2 (Itar-Tass) —— The ruling United Russia party has recognized that its candidate lost the elections of Yaroslavl mayor on April 1 to an opposition candidate, Yevgeny Urlashov.

“Residents of Yaroslavl have made their choice, and we hope that Yevgeny Urlashov, when he takes the mayor’s office, will spare no effort to solve the problems facing the city,” Sergei Zheleznyak, the first deputy secretary of the presidium of United Russia’s general council, told journalists on Monday.

“The work for the good of the people, actual steps to develop the city’s infrastructure and to improve living conditions of the city dwellers are the basis for our cooperation with the new mayor, for our support to his efforts,” he said.

“Elections always imply the victory of a program the winner must realize,” Zheleznyak said and added that now Urlashov will have “to reassure the city dwellers they have made the right choice.”

Despite this defeat at the Yaroslavl elections, United Russia usually wins municipal elections across Russia, scoring more than 60 percent of the vote, a fact that proves that the party enjoys high support. “However a 100-percent victory in municipal elections would look strange rather than natural,” he added.

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