Lev Shlosberg introduced his legislative initiative to the regional parliament once again

Press Release, 13.09.2018

Maya Grishina, Secretary of the Central Electoral Commission of Russia, responded to an appeal by Lev Shlosberg, Yabloko’s MP in the Pskov Oblast Assembly. Shlosberg forwarded his appeal in address of Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Central Electoral Commission, on the facts of violation of the law during elections of the governor of the Pskov region.

On 3 September, Lev Shlosberg sent a statement to Alexander Bastrykin, Chair of the Investigative Committee, asking to conduct an investigation and file a criminal case on the fact of obstructing passing the “municipal filter” [mandatory collection of regional/local deputies’ signatures by candidates so that to be registered in elections, which is hard to implement as most regional/local deputies come from the ruling United Russia party and do not give their signatures to candidates who are not welcomes by the authorities] by the candidates at the election of the governor of the Pskov region.

Lev Slosberg asked to conduct an examination in accordance with Articles 144-145 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation for the presence of signs of the crime provided for in Article 141 (2) (a), (b) and (c) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – preventing the citizen from exercising his/her electoral rights, realization of electoral rights of citizens coupled with deceit and coercion; committed by persons using their official position; committed by an organised group.

Copies of the statement were sent to Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Federation, and Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration.

Secretary of the Central Electoral Commission in her reply referred to the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of December 24, 2012, running that the “municipal filter did not contradict the Constitution.

At the same time, Maya Grishina admitted that the issue of using the “municipal filter” in elections is one of the main problems that “are from time to time discussed at the Central Electoral Commission [discussion] platform, and opinions were voiced there on the need for a substantial modernisation of the institution of collecting signatures in support of a candidate for the post of the highest official of the subject of the Russian Federation”.

The results of these meetings are not known for this day, the “filter” continues to work and blocks the way for candidates that are not welcomed by the authorities to participate in elections.

The Secretary of the Central Electoral Commission noted in her reply that according to Article 104 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, legislative bodies have the right to initiate federal laws into the State Duma and the Federal Assembly.

In 2017 Lev Shlosberg submitted a proposal to the Pskov Region Assembly of Deputies to abolish the “municipal filter” for candidates for governors from parties represented in the State Duma and regional parliaments. However, only nine deputies voted for the initiative of the parliamentarian, 24 were against and three abstained.

On 12 September, Lev Shlosberg again introduced the legislative initiative on the abolition of the “municipal filter” for consideration by the deputies of the Pskov Region Assembly of Deputies.