MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. The chief of Russia’s Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova has warned Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov against making impermissible electioneering statements.
According to Pamfilova, some mass media on January 29 quoted Peskov’s statement about Putin that bore "obvious signs of electioneering."
"On behalf of the CEC I make a warning addressed to the presidential spokesman against making such statements in the future," Pamfilova at the CEC meeting on Friday.
Pamfilova avoided specifying which of Peskov’s statements she was referring to. In all likelihood she bore in mind Peskov’s personal opinion about the level of Putin’s popularity he expressed at a news briefing on January 29.
Pamfilova recalled that under Russian legislation those not registered as candidates and holding senior official or civil service positions were prohibited from using the advantages of their status during the election campaign for campaigning for this or that candidate, including "electioneering while performing official duties."
"The term ‘electioneering’ applies, among other things, to any expression of preferences in favor of this or that candidate, as well as activities that promote a favorable or unfavorable attitude of voters to candidates," Pamfilova said.
She called upon the mass media and "officials cooperating with them" to "keep in mind the restrictions established by the law throughout the election period," and asked all officials to refrain from election statements while performing official duties.