MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Russia is ready to welcome foreign observers to the upcoming presidential election, Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said.

"We are interested in foreign observers monitoring the Russian presidential election," she noted at a press conference wrapping up the fall parliamentary session. According to Matviyenko, "the Federation Council and the State Duma (the lower house - TASS) are working on inviting various international parliamentary organizations and institutions to monitor the Russian presidential vote."

The Federation Council speaker also stressed that invitations would also be sent to parliaments in a number of friendly countries. In addition, Russia is interested in getting adequate assessments of the upcoming election from its key partners, that is, members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). "We will certainly invite the Interparliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, too," she promised.

The Federation Council speaker added that Russia’s electoral system was above reproach. "It is transparent and fair, and we have nothing to hide," she concluded.

The Federation Council formally designated March 17, 2024 as the date of Russia’s presidential election. The Central Election Commission decided that the vote would take place over three days, on March 15-17, 2024, making it the first ever three-day presidential election in Russian history.