22/02/2008 Election observation
A delegation of 25 members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), will observe the Presidential election in Russia on 2 March 2008.
The parliamentarians will arrive in Moscow on Wednesday 27 February to meet the candidates standing for election, representatives of political parties and the head of the Russian parliamentary delegation to PACE. They will also have meetings with the Chair of the Central Election Committee, representatives of the media and NGOs, and ambassadors, prior to observing the voting in a cross-section of polling stations.
A pre-election delegation, comprising five members of PACE, issued a statement after its visit to Moscow on 7 and 8 February 2008, in which it expressed concern at the limited choice of candidates. “While the forthcoming election may appear competitive to some, with four candidates in the running, the real choice of alternatives is limited at best,” the delegation said.
The head of the delegation will hold a press conference to present its preliminary conclusions at 11.30 a.m. (Moscow time) on Monday 3 March at the National Hotel (Petrovski Hall), 15/1 Mokhovaya Street, Moscow 125009.
Press contacts: PACE Communication Unit
Francesc Ferrer, mobile +33 630 496 822, [email protected]
Nathalie Bargellini, mobile +33 665 403 282, [email protected]