| MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) - On Monday morning,
representatives of Committee 2008 filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court
to annul the results of the State Duma elections in December 2003. The
lawsuit was filed by the Yabloko and KPRF parties and seven individuals.
The Central Election Committee of the Russian Federation is the defendant.
"We regard our lawsuit, not as a political statement, but as a
legal document," first deputy chairman of the Yabloko party Sergei
Ivanenko said. He said that the lawsuit "will become one more
touchstone" to check the judicial system. He said that the lawsuit
was designed to create an "opposition force frontline."
Deputy Head of the KPRF parliamentary faction Sergei Reshulsky said
that "it is not correct to divide the lawsuit into legal and political
parts, it is indivisible."
"Our lawsuit is a political choice, it is both legal and political,"
chairwoman of the organizing committee of the Free Russia party Irina
Khakamada said.
She said she was dissatisfied not only with the latest elections but
also with all the elections in the history of Russia. "There were
never just and honest elections in Russia," she said. She is confident
that the plaintiffs will lose the lawsuit. Ms. Khakamada said she wanted
the lawsuit to be considered by courts at all levels in Russia and then
be sent to the European Human Rights Court.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, State Duma deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov
said that the lawsuit had good chances. Documents were submitted to the
court that the election campaign was dishonest. "United Russia had
the best advantage and 80% of negative materials concerned the KPRF,"
the parliamentarian underscored.
There is evidence, he said, that at least two mandates, to Sergei Shoigu
and Yuri Luzhkov, were handed in illegally. Thus, the Central Election
Commission did not fulfill its duty to ensure equal rights in participation
in the elections for different parties and candidates.
Mr. Ryzhkov believes that the lawsuit will be upheld in many respects.
"The results of the State Duma elections might not be annulled, but
a decision will be passed with regard to the CEC, and the culprits will
be found," the deputy said.
Mr. Ryzhkov also intends to send in a deputy's enquiry to the Constitutional
Court about the legality of distribution of mandates in the State Duma.
He said that United Russia unjustly received too many seats.
Committee 2008 was created last January to form a coalition of democratic
forces and to win the parliamentary elections in 2007 and the presidential
elections in 2008.
See also:
State Duma Elections
2003
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