Other Russia Regional Conference Update

All over Russia, opposition conferences are selecting delegates for the December parliamentary election slate and voting on an opposition candidate for the March 2008 presidential election. Several of the conferences have been disrupted by authorities with the usual outlandish claims of emergencies and threats. In Kurgan, where a majority voted for Garry Kasparov to be the presidential candidate, both the library chosen as the site and the local Youth House backup site were beset by sudden changes in policy or repair activities in order to deny the Other Russia delegates access.

Other early results: Samara has selected Gennady Zuganov for president while enduring a Nashi rally outside that harassed our delegates. The Ryazan conference chose Mikhail Kasyanov with 56% of the vote. The delegates in Krasnoyarsk and Yaroslavl also selected Kasyanov. The regional winners will contest for the mantle of united opposition candidate at the Other Russia Congress in Moscow in the fall.