Press Release, 21.07.2016

YABLOKO Anticorruption Policy Centre headed by Sergei Mitrokhin pointed out four cases of massive use of administrative resource by candidates from the ruling United Russia party in their parliamentary election campaign. Sergei Mitrokhin, member of the Federal Political Committee and head of Anti-Corruption Policy Centre, informed head of the Central Electoral Commission Ella Pamfilova of the violaions.

It was found out that a state institution GBU Zhilischnik in the Lomonosovky district of Moscow formed for provision of utilities services was engaged in illegal campaigning in favour of the ruling party. Social workers, social services centre of the same district, the newspaper Vistochniy Okrug (Eastern District) and the Moscow City Department of Health Care were also engaged in illegal campaigning for United Russia. Zhilischnik undertook to deliver newspapers from United Russia candidates to the post boxes of blocks of flats in the area, social workers call residents by phone asking them to vote for United Russia. The newspaper Vistochniy Okrug gives special place for propaganda for the ruling party, and the Department of Health Care under the guise of social advertising promotes representatives of the ruling party. All this facts are given in Mitrokhin’s letter to the head of Central Electoral Commission.

Mitrokhin also provides as a proof that the ruling party gave an order to the state institutions to promote the ruling party – a letter to the deputy head of Zhilischnik in Lomonsovsky district of Moscow who reports to the deputy head of the local authority on the promotion of United Russia candidate Dmitry Morozov running for the State Duma. Copies of newspapers and photos were also attached to the letter. Violations in the Lomonosovsky district were reported to YABLOKO by municipal deputy Dmitry Martynenko. YABLOKO Anti-Corruption Centre launched an investigation on the case and sent its findings to the Central Electoral Commission. The Centre considers illegal campaigning be a manifestation of political corruption.

“It is a striking example of how officials use administrative resources to promote their interests. All the local authorities work for United Russia candidates, and we prove it with definite examples. I hope that Ella Pamfilova will take measures against that within her proxies,” Sergei Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO asked the Central Electoral Commission to conduct its investigation of the case and bring the perpetrators to administrative responsibility.