The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO nominated coordinator of the YABLOKO faction of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Mikhail Amosov candidate for the post of governor of St. Petersburg. Such a decision was adopted at the conference of the regional branch of the YABLOKO party during the last weekend. On Monday, July 14, 2003, Mikhail Amosov forwarded his application to the Electoral Commission of St. Petersburg and thus became official candidate for the gubernatorial elections.

YABLOKO is for the time being the only federal political party to nominate its own candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections.

Until July 31, 2003, any candidate for governor should submit to the electoral commission about 37,500 signatures in favour of their candidacy (1% of the total electorate) or submit a pledge amounting to USD 250,000. YABLOKO's conference adopted a decision to collect signatures.

In addition, St. Petersburg YABLOKO proposed three candidates to the central part of the federal list of the YABLOKO party for the State Duma elections. They are acting deputies of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament Igor Artemyev and Alexander Shishlov (who is also Head of the State Duma Committee for Education and Science), as well as member of the Bureau of the Federal Council of the party, expert of St. Petersburg legislative Assembly, political scientist Boris Vishnevsky. The "party list" of candidates will be discussed at the Federal Council scheduled for August 2003 and should be approved by the Congress of the YABLOKO party on September 6-7, 2003.

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