Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) will not help Alexei Navalny's Party of Progress take part in upcoming parliamentary elections, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.
The opposition party sent a letter to the head of the CEC, Ella Pamfilova, asking her permission to run in the September vote.
Russian laws state that a party has to be registered by the Justice Ministry to be able to run in the vote. The ministry revoked registration for Navalny's Party of Progress in 2015 due to an alleged failure to fulfil some of the requirements concerning the registration of political parties.
Pamfilova refused the party's request, saying the group were not allowed to "try to disrupt the law using illegal methods."
Speaking to reporters, she said that elections in Russia were held in accordance with the law and that the CEC would not use its powers to secure the privileged participation of any party in the elections.
“The party is demanding that others follow laws but at the same time it is are suggesting to break them when it is in its interests,” Pamfilova said.
“No one, including officials in high positions, can ignore the law or change it using administrative actions. Not the president, not the government, not the CEC – no one.”
The letter comes after the Party of Progress decided to abandon a pre-election coalition with Mikhail Kasyanov's registered PARNAS Party. The coalition broke down due to differences in opinion on how to order the list of candidates within the parties.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
