The CPRF leaders assess the elections of March 14

Communist Party of the Russian Federation

March 16, 2010

http://www.kprf.ru, zabirov@duma.gov.ru 

On March 14 the elections at various levels took place in 76 Russian regions. Including eight regions, where elections of deputies to regional parliaments were held. According to preliminary data, the "United Russia" has suffered serious defeat, while the Communists practically everywhere have improved their results almost twofold.

The press conference was held at the electoral headquarters of the Communist Party on the first results of the elections, where the Chairman of the Central Committee of the CPRF G.A. Zyuganov gave an assessment of incoming results.

G.A. Zyuganov: the CPRF anti-crisis program was supported in the elections

• We were attaching particular importance to the elections – stressed G.A. Zyuganov while opening the press conference. - Today at the polling stations was due to be a third of voters in 76 regions. These elections took place against the backdrop of severe financial and economic crisis that struck the country. The main task for us was to convey at most our anti-crisis program to the citizens. It was published in a run of 150 million. For the first time we were able bring our proposals to every house, every family. The deputies of our faction in the State Duma visited all regions. For example, I spent almost 50 meetings with voters; spoke on local television and radio channels. And we believe that many have heard our suggestions and actively supported us.

• During the current election Communists have added almost everywhere - stressed G.A. Zyuganov. - Our challenge today is to complete the formation of parliamentary vertical, which will cover all the representative bodies: from the State Duma up to the most remote border regions of Russia.

• The key and the main conclusion: the CPRF anti-crisis program has been supported by the citizens - noted the leader of the Communists. – In many electoral districts more than a third of voters voted for us. We have returned our electorate in the cities and even substantially added in results. In Irkutsk, for the first time the communist candidate won the mayoral election. He won about 60% of the votes that was almost twofold ahead of the "United Russia’s" candidate.

• In general, we believe - said G.A. Zyuganov - that the preliminary work in all regions gave good results. With regard to the party in power, it failed to make the findings from the serious criticism, which was raised during the October elections. Today, it concentrated all the dirty technology within the preliminary stage of the election campaign, and during the day of voting there were fewer irregularities.

• We are sure that a very important step forward has been made in strengthening the positions of left-centrist forces - said the CPRF leader.

The First Deputy Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee I.I. Melnikov: the "United Russia" has passed the point of no return

While speaking at the press conference, First Deputy Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee I.I. Melnikov said that in the three regions where at the time of the briefing preliminary result was known, the Communists twofold improved their positions. In the Republic of Altai the CPRF won more than 20% of the votes, while in the last election it gained only 8%; in the Khabarovsk Territory - 19% versus 11% in the last election, in the Sverdlovsk region - 21,2%, while the previous result of the CPRF there was - 7,65 %.

"Our candidate Viktor Ivanovich Kondrashov, a member of the CPRF faction in the Legislative Assembly of Irkutsk won the mayoral election in Irkutsk with a double margin, as compared with the candidate of the "United Russia" - emphasized I.I. Melnikov. - And we do not exclude that in the city of Krasnodar will be a second round of mayoral election between the CPRF candidate and the one of the party in power.

I.I .Melnikov said that the Communists have build up their result not due to the fact that elections have become more cleanly, but in spite of administrative resources. With regard to the violations, the party in power again made its mark. In Ryazan provocative leaflets were issued as if on .the CPRF behalf calling for blood and civil war. Kovalev, the governor of Ryazan, while congratulating women on March 8, directly called on to vote for the “United Russia”.

"But the socio-economic policy of the party in power under the crisis is not being perceived, - said I.I. Melnikov - and the list of oligarchs, who in the time of the crisis managed to redouble their estates, played a low-down trick with them.

It’s quite clear - underlined I.I. Melnikov - that the "United Russia" is creeping only downwards. The point of no return they have passed, and the trend is obvious.