Interfax: Putin views fair competition during parliamentary election as basis for building confidence in authorities among citizens

ST PETERSBURG. April 29 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed that the State Duma election to be held this autumn must be characterized by a fair and competitive campaign.

“You understand perfectly that it is of the utmost importance for this campaign to be spared violations and proceed in an absolutely competitive and fair contest,” Putin said at the meeting of the lawmakers’ council in St Petersburg on Friday.

Putin also called on the council members “to be focused on it in the course of the upcoming election, because this is the basis of the confidence in elected representative bodies among citizens, the basis of legitimacy of these bodies.”

The results of the anticipated State Duma election “are going to determine the country’s development vector for the next few years,” Putin said. “This is an extremely important event inside Russia’s political life,” Putin said.

“And it is also critical to secure the continuity of the lawmaking process and this is equally important for both the State Duma and regional legislative assemblies,” Putin said.