5 Jan 2018 19:10

Activists in Russia's Far East start collecting signatures to support self-nominee candidate Putin

KHABAROVSK. Jan 5 (Interfax) - Activists from the Volunteers of Victory movement in the city of Khabarovsk have begun collecting signatures in support of the self-nomination of Russian incumbent head of state Vladimir Putin as a candidate in the upcoming presidential election, a representative of the movement in Russia's Khabarovsk Territory, told Interfax.

"On Friday, signature collecting points in support of Putin's self-nomination opened in the Yuzhny Park and NK City shopping malls in Khabarovsk," the representative said.

The nationwide action that started in Khabarovsk will continue on Saturday, the source said, adding that the collection of signatures will resume after the public holidays and will last until January 30.

As reported earlier, Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) registered last week a group of voters set up to support Putin's self-nomination as a candidate in the 2018 Russian presidential election. The CEC also registered the group's authorized representatives.

In a separate resolution, the CEC permitted Putin to open a special election account in order to form his election fund and start campaigning.

Under the Russian laws, Putin must submit 300,000 signatures in support of his self-nomination.