Other Russia Candidates Rejected

The chairman of Russia’s Central Electoral Commission, Vladimir Churov, has refused to register the Other Russia list of candidates for participation in the upcoming Duma elections. In a letter addressed to Other Russia leaders Garry Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, Churov intoned that only lawfully entitled, and registered parties are allowed to put forth delegates.

The Other Russia Coalition, which brings together opposition political parties from across the spectrum, has previously contested the policies of the Federal Registration Service. The organization has repeatedly and unconstitutionally blocked member parties of the Other Russia Coalition from official registration. Churov shrugged these comments off, writing that the Electoral Commission has no authority in these matters.

Other Russia leaders have vowed to continue their efforts, and to expose the discriminatory practices of the electoral process.

“We continue to press for the registration of our candidate list of deputies to the Federal Duma of the Russian Federation, and are prepared to present, in the shortest time possible, all the information required of the candidates,” a representative explained.

The Electoral Commission’s move came as no surprise, and United Civil Front leader Garry Kasparov had predicted the result, explaining on October 1st that “the answer was determined ahead of time, and it will be a rejection.”

Still, the coalition expressed their unwavering commitment to the democratic process. Eduard Limonov, one of the three leading Other Russia candidates, summed up the sentiment:

“We knew about the rejection ahead of time, and we cast our challenge. We have put doubt into the whole registration system, which operates solely to benefit the parties in power.”