MOSCOW, 18 March (BelTA) - Russia's presidential election held on 15-17 March was transparent, credible and democratic, SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming said at a press briefing as he read out a statement by the observation mission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on 18 March, BelTA has learned
"The election complied with the electoral legislation of the Russian Federation and the international obligations it has assumed. The mission did not record any violations of national legislation that would cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election. The mission recognizes the election as transparent, credible and democratic," the statement said.
Zhang Ming said that the SCO mission worked freely during the election, visited polling stations without prior notification of the Russian authorities. Observers from the organization monitored 37 polling stations in Moscow and Vladimir Oblast, were present at the vote count and the procedure for separating the encryption keys to the remote electronic voting system
The SCO mission also highlighted a high voter turnout. "The election was held in a calm and friendly atmosphere," Zhang Ming said.
The SCO mission included 19 observers from China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
According to the CEC, with 99.76% of the ballots counted, the incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin gained 87.29% of the vote. Nikolai Kharitonov of Russia’s Communist Party placed second with a result of 4.30%. The candidate from the New People party Vladislav Davankov received 3.84% of the vote. The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Leonid Slutsky gained 3.21% of the vote. The voter turnout was 77.44%.
"The election complied with the electoral legislation of the Russian Federation and the international obligations it has assumed. The mission did not record any violations of national legislation that would cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election. The mission recognizes the election as transparent, credible and democratic," the statement said.
Zhang Ming said that the SCO mission worked freely during the election, visited polling stations without prior notification of the Russian authorities. Observers from the organization monitored 37 polling stations in Moscow and Vladimir Oblast, were present at the vote count and the procedure for separating the encryption keys to the remote electronic voting system
The SCO mission also highlighted a high voter turnout. "The election was held in a calm and friendly atmosphere," Zhang Ming said.
The SCO mission included 19 observers from China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
According to the CEC, with 99.76% of the ballots counted, the incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin gained 87.29% of the vote. Nikolai Kharitonov of Russia’s Communist Party placed second with a result of 4.30%. The candidate from the New People party Vladislav Davankov received 3.84% of the vote. The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Leonid Slutsky gained 3.21% of the vote. The voter turnout was 77.44%.