MOSCOW, September 15. / TASS /. International observers and journalists will have full access to video surveillance at public observation centers for Russia’s 8th State Duma (lower house) elections during all three voting days, from September 17 to 19, Chairman of the Civic Chamber’s Coordinating Council for Public Control over Voting Maxim Grigoriev said.
"The centers are going to work all three days, and that includes our main situational center in the Russian Civic Chamber. Of course, international observers who have this status will be provided with full access to them," Grigoriev stated.
He noted that "journalists also had the opportunity to be present at public observation centers for all the three days without any restrictions." "In many regions, we still have a very large number of people who will work there, so please, apply in advance," the civic chamber’s member stressed.
Earlier, Chairperson of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) Ella Pamfilova told the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper that some 249 foreign observers from 55 countries would come to Russia to assess the upcoming elections. As Pamfilova noted in late August, the foreign observers should be able to participate in video surveillance at the public election observation centers in September by providing them with accounts for the service video portal.
Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) are scheduled for September 19, 2021, known as Single Voting Day. The balloting process will span across three days — September 17, 18, and 19. In addition to the State Duma elections, voters will go to the polls to cast ballots for the heads of nine Russian regions (in another three regions local legislatures will elect top executive officials) and in elections for 39 regional parliaments.