PARNAS supporters holding rally in Novosibirsk over election committee meeting on registering party lists

Arm and Torso of Person in Brown Sweater Placing Paper Ballot into Ballot Box

NOVOSIBIRSK. July 27 (Interfax) – The rally permitted by the Novosibirsk mayor’s office of the supporters of the People’s Freedom Party For Russia Without Lawlessness and Corruption (PARNAS) is taking place in front of the Novosibirsk region’s government building on Monday, an Interfax correspondent reported.

Five people are declared to participate in the rally, event organizer Vadim Sukhonenko said.

“One of the goals is to hold a picket to protest against the decision of the working group regarding the decision of the Novosibirsk region election committee, which recommended not to register lists due to a lack of authentic signatures,” Sukhonenko said.

Information on over 50% of the 1,300 signatures was incorrectly added by employees of the regional election committee, he said.

“The data did not match because of typos and mistakes, as a result the regional federal migration service department rejected signatures,” Sukhonenko said.

It has been reported that on July 24 the working group under the Novosibirsk region election committee did not recognize 1,495 signatures for PARNAS as authentic.

According to the election committee secretary Sergei Lebedev, most signatures were not found to be authentic due to discrepancies of information in the signature lists and data of the Novosibirsk regional migration service department.

“In some cases the place of residence does not match, in some – passport information. In a number of cases citizens are not registered in the Novosibirsk region at all and some are not even Russian citizens,” Lebedev said.

On the very same day PARNAS members and supporters held an unsanctioned rally in front of the regional government building while expecting a protocol from the working group of the election committee. Event organizers installed a cube with flags in front of the central entrance. Police did not interfere.

As of now, the regional elections committee registered the lists of Just Russia, United Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party for the elections to the legislative committee of the Novosibirsk region.

At the same time, the regional election committee refused to register the lists of the For Women of Russia and Democratic Party of Russia on Monday. The working group of the election committee also recommended refusing the registration of lists of the Green party on July 24.

On September 13 Novosibirsk region residents are to vote on 476 election campaigns, including the deputy elections to the legislative assembly and for the Novosibirsk city council.

Out of 65 regional branches of the political parties registered in the Novosibirsk region, 61 can participate in elections.

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