Over 70% of Chechnya's residents to go to presidential polls

Over 70 percent of Chechnya's residents intend to go to the polling stations to elect their president on August 29, according to the regional counter-terrorist headquaters for the Northern Caucasus with reference to surveys by Moscow, St.Petersburg and Southern Russia.

"Some 73.5 percent of the polled said they would take part in the early elections, other 21.7 percent were uncertain and merely 4.8 percent refused to go," said the press-centre.

As to the situation in Chechnya, 46 percent of the respondents estimated it as gradually improving but yet rather tense; 8.7 percent dubbed it as explosive; 49 percent saw it as having become better and 20.2 percent think it has not changed in comparison with the pre-election situation in 2003.

These polls were carried out among 1,500-2,000 people of different categories of the population, within the age bracket of 30 to 60 years old. Men and women had equal parts in this survey. As to ethnic division, 91.5 percent of the polled were Chechens while 8.5 percent represented other nationalities.

In all, 19 persons have declared their intention to run for presidency, said Abdul-Kerimm Arsakhanov, chairman of the Chechen electoral commission.

"Documents required for registration have been submitted for the time being by six challengers: Sultan Aiskhanov and Abdula Bugaev have provided a subscription list in their support while Alu Alkhanov, Malik Saidullaev, Vakha Visaev and Mukhumd-Khasan Asakov have placed a deposit," he added.

Arsakhanov reported that the republican electoral commission was to verify the documents submitted and to take a decision on their registration within ten days and on July 24 a final list of presidential candidates was to be made public.

Early presidential elections in Chechnya were scheduled for August 29 after the assassination of Akhamd Kadyrov in a Grozny act of terrorism on May 9.