On August 29, 2011 the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev in accordance with his constitutional authorities called an election of deputies of the State Duma of the sixth convocation for December 04, 2011.

Calling of the election was performed according to the current legislation: the date of the election was determined according to law – the first Sunday of the month, in which the constitutional term of authorities of the State Duma of the current convocation expires. There could be no other variant here.

Signing of the Decree by the President was also arranged within the term stipulated by law: not earlier than 110 days and not later than 90 days before the election day. The President, without waiting for the last day of the specified term – September 04, signed the Decree 96 days before the day of voting. We would like some representatives of the political parties, who have already managed to make statements on limitation of the term for collection of electors` signatures, to pay attention to this fact. By the way, if we compare the duration of the upcoming election campaign with the previous campaigns with the same terms for calling of the elections, this one will turn out to be the longest one: thus, a decree on calling the election in 2007 was signed 90 days before the day of voting, in 2003 – 95 days before the day of voting. In case of correct planning of its own work, a political party may have up to 40 days for execution of registration documents, including collection of electors` signatures. It is quite a good term for thorough preparation of documents.

The President Dmitry Medvedev, while signing the Decree on calling the election, has stated some very important provisions, which, we believe, must become a signal for all participants of the election process: he called equally unacceptable administrative arbitrary behavior of officials and unfounded accusations of falsifications, as well as any attempts of fomenting of an international, interethnic discord, calls for illegal actions.

These concerns of the head of the state did not arise from nothing: recently, at the meeting of one of the opposition parliamentary parties in Moscow a slogan “down with arbitrary behavior of Jews” was demonstrated, constantly during the last months we come across frankly provocative projects, calling for boycott of the election, its cancellation, actual refusal to exercise by citizens of their constitutional rights to elect to the bodies of state authority, impositions to citizens of the opinion on illegality of the upcoming election long before the campaign start.

“Civil control” Association totally shares the requirements, stated by the President of the Russian Federation, and declares impermissibility of the specified methods of conduction of the political struggle. Naturally, we will pay a special attention to such issues during monitoring of the upcoming election campaign.
In general, the Association believes that the election campaign is going to be quite interesting and intense. This fact is evidenced by both staff changes in a number of parties, statement on participation in pre-election debates of the so called party of power, and a canvassing campaign of most political parties that has actually begun. I would like to remind that for the last two whole election days we observed an increase of activity of the parties at regional and municipal elections that suggests some trial of strength before the beginning campaign. Updated election legislation also facilitates an increase of the election competitiveness level.
“Civil control” Association, on its part, declares the start of monitoring of the election campaign on election of deputies of the State Duma of the sixth convocation.
In the near future the Association together with its partners is going to sign a Charter or Declaration of public monitoring of elections, which draft will assume strict compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, international principles and norms during conduction of public monitoring; conduction of such monitoring subject to the principles of objectivity, reliability, political neutrality, fairness, non-interference to the election process, openness and professionalism; refusal to express own political looks, preferences or estimates in relation to participants of the election process etc.

Within such monitoring we will register all reports on violations and control them by the efforts of our regional branches and in cooperation with election committees and law- enforcement agencies. In relation thereto we ask all interested citizens to notify us of noticed violation, specifying as many details as possible: where, when, who etc. So that such information could be verified, and in case of its confirmation some efficient measures on suppression of violations could be taken. We hope, such cooperation will allow us to give an objective appraisal of the upcoming election campaign and protect electoral rights of citizens.
You can contact us in Moscow by phone: (495) 918-20-60, by e-mail: info@civilcontrol.ru, priemnaia@civilcontrol.ru. You can leave a message at the Association`s website: http://civilcontrol.ru, using an online application form: http://old.civilcontrol.ru/?do=feedback. As soon as the Association`s sms-portal is opened, its number will be also placed on the website.

Presidium of “Civil control” Association
August 29, 2011

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Statement by “Civil control” Association on calling an election of deputies of the State Duma of the sixth convocation and start of the election campaign monitoring.doc