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Far East official asks Putin to postpone September 8 election due to flood

Putin has not commented on the initiative so far
Alexander Vinnikov, Photo ITAR-TASS/Maksim Shemetov
Alexander Vinnikov, Photo ITAR-TASS/Maksim Shemetov

KHABAROVSK, August 29 (Itar-Tass) - Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Area Alexander Vinnikov has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone by one year the regional elections scheduled for September 8 because of the flood.

"I'd ask you to decide on postponing the date of voting and simultaneously prolong the powers of local self-rule bodies by at least a year," Vinnikov said at conference over flood relief in Khabarovsk on Thursday.

"Holding elections today would be diversion of means and resources, because voting is not possible: we'll need additional helicopters and boats. Most importantly, the contingency limits the population's opportunities to take part in the election," the governor said.

Putin has not commented on Vinnikov's initiative so far.