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Russia slams EP’s moves to manipulate public opinion amid upcoming elections — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that Russia resolutely condemns the attempts of the European Parliament’s Members to manipulate the Europeans’ public opinion and understands that they lead to the final disgracing of the EP as the EU’s representative body

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Moscow strongly condemns the European Parliament’s (EP) attempts to manipulate public opinion amid the 2021 legislative elections, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated at a briefing on Thursday.

"We resolutely condemn the attempts of the MEPs (the European Parliament’s Members) to manipulate the Europeans’ public opinion and understand that they lead to the final disgracing of the EP as the EU’s representative body," the diplomat noted.

As Zakharova stated, now, it is already obvious that the EP is going to draw up conclusions about the Russian polls "relying on those organizations, that, giving fake excuses, either simply withdrew themselves from taking part in the monitoring of the parliamentary elections, or had nothing to do with this process at all." "We will stand firm, as it has been before, against unacceptable meddling into Russia’s national democratic processes," the diplomat emphasized.

Earlier, the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee suggested that the EU prepared for non-recognition of the voting results of the upcoming Russian polls, if Brussels considered that they violated international norms. Some 56 committee members upheld the document, while nine others were against and five abstained from voting. The EP’s reports and resolutions, as well as the recognition of foreign political institutions, are not legally binding.

Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) are scheduled for September 19, 2021, known as the 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.