Do Communists plan prescheduled elections to the State Duma ?

PRAVDA.Ru already published about an extraordinary session of the Communist Party held last weekend. The Communists are likely to initiate prescheduled elections to the State Duma. In his interview to Interfax news agency Deputy Chairman of the Communist central committee Valentin Kuptsov told, the elections would be probably held at the end of 2002 or at the beginning of 2003. The Communist Party is actively getting ready for the event.

No reasons are seen for such certainty of the Communists so far. In any case, no comments could be received from the Communist press-service in the Duma and the party’s management as well. But it was confirmed, the Communist Party did not rule out the possibility of prescheduled elections to the Duma.

Perhaps, it is one more trick of the Communists, aimed at drawing attention to the party. It is an open secret, authority of the Communist Party has considerably reduced over the last year. Other political parties that make up the Duma will hardly welcome the idea of prescheduled elections. It is merely because there is no necessity for the elections. Besides, the Duma is in for a large-scale law-making work. But if the prescheduled elections do take place, no stable work can be expected from the Duma then.

We thank the Communist deputies in the Duma, Valentin Kuptsov namely, for the comments to the situation. If the events are to develop, we will inform the readers of it.

Oleg Artyukov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/22/35866.html