MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/. Russia’s ruling United Russia party especially values votes cast in its favor in Russia’s new regions, the more so that it took civic courage to take part in the voting there, United Russia leader and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday.
"We value votes of all voters, but, probably, people living in our new territories, living in Donbass, their votes have an absolute significance for our party," he said. "This is not a mere mandate of trust, this is not a mere result of the good work on a good program. To a certain extent, this is an act of civic courage indeed and our party should treat it this way."
He thanked "all who took part in the elections in the new territories and cast their votes not only for United Russia but for any party." "Because in this case this is another fact of voting for being part of a big country," Medvedev explained.
Single voting day elections were held throughout Russia on September 8-10. The Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions took part for the first time. The DPR and LPR elected their parliaments, which will elect heads of these republics in line with their constitutions. More than 4,000 election campaigns were held in 85 territories of Russia. Direct elections of top officials took place in 21 regions, and elections of local legislative bodies, in 20 territories.