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Russia is observing pre-election silence on Saturday

On March 17, candidates and parties do not campaign

Единый день голосования в Ленинградской области Alexander Demyanchuk/TASS

Единый день голосования в Ленинградской области

© Alexander Demyanchuk/TASS

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Russia is observing pre-election silence today ahead of the presidential election on Sunday, March 18.

Under the law on Elections of the President of the Russian Federation, pre-election campaigning on television and radio channels, in periodicals and online publications stops at 00:00 local time of the day before the voting day. In the country’s easternmost regions (Kamchatka and Chukotka), which have a 9 hour timing difference with Moscow, pre-election silence began at 3:00 pm Moscow time on Friday. In Kaliningrad, Russia’s westernmost region, pre-election silence will begin at 01:00 Moscow time.

On March 17, candidates and parties do not campaign - they are not allowed to hold rallies, meetings of voters, initiate distribution of leaflets. Pre-election silence is stipulated by legislations of many countries in order to give voters an opportunity to make their choices without any pressure.

On Friday, secretary of Russia’s Central Election Commission Maya Grishina also said that on the day of pre-election silence it is not allowed to hold lotteries related to elections and buy voters.

"It is not allowed to buy voters, which implies giving them material values in conjunction with the election campaign. On the day of pre-election silence and the day of vote any election campaigning is inadmissible," she said.

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