Toughness of electoral legislation does not entail reduction of level of competition in elections - Peskov
MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Most people who complain about the toughness of Russia's electoral legislation have weak electoral capabilities, but it does not reduce the level of competition and political struggle, Russian presidential press officer Dmitry Peskov said.
"We are now working on the basis of the rules that have been established. Parties that have potential are participating in the election campaign. Parties that do not have potential, even any prospects of it, it's them that complain the most," Peskov told reporters on Wednesday, responding to a request to comment on the report by the Civil Initiatives Committee, which, in particular, states that the competition in the upcoming elections will be lower due to the increase of electoral restrictions for new parties.
"This does not reduce the level of competition and political struggle," he said.
Many countries have a rule that is aimed at "preventing marginal small groups, which de facto can hardly be called parties and which only have some attributes of party structures, from participating in the elections, from devaluating this process," Peskov said.
Th Russian electoral legislation is rather tough and demanding, presidential press officer said.
"It is improved on the basis of experience, which is obtained with every electoral process. We are now working on the basis of the rules that have been established," Peskov said.