Presidential campaign starts in Chechnya

Election campaign on electing President of Chechnya started on May 25.
The elections of the President of the republic take place on August 29. The elections are organized ahead of time as the former Head of Chechnya Akhmad Kadyrov was killed in terrorist act in Chechen capital Grozny on May 9.
 
Since May 25 those willing to run for Chechen Presidency, can notify the Election Committee of the republic of their intentions either to collect signatures in their support or to pay deposit.

There are no daily newspapers in Chechnya, and for this reason the Decree on choosing the election date for Chechnya will appear in the local press only on May 25, said Deputy Election Committee Chairman Buvai-Sari Arsakhanov.

The deposit for Presidential candidates is 4.5 billion roubles ($150 million). The money of the candidates who fail to gain 5 percent of the votes, will go to the budget of the republic. During the first elections of Chechen President in October 2003, one candidate did not gain the 5 percent minimum of votes, and his deposit was transferred to the budget of Chechnya.

 Russian military and law-enforcers deployed in Chechnya permanently, are eligible for voting at the future Chechen elections. However, the military and the police personnel being in Chechnya on the temporary basis, cannot vote.

On January 1, 2004 there were 583,000 residents in Chechen republic. To win the elections in the first round, the candidate must be supported by more than half of the people who voted. At least one third of the republic residents should vote to have the elections valid.

Who is going to run for Chechen Presidency

Former mayor of Chechen capital Grozny and ex-Minister of Press and Information of Chechen government Bislan Gantamirov became the first politician to announce his intention to run for Presidency. At the elections in October 2003, Mr. Gantamirov publicly supported the opponent of Akhmad Kadyrov, businessman Hussein Dzhabrailov from Moscow, and for this reason he was dismissed from his post of the Minister on Press. By the way, Hussein Dzhabrailov withdrew from the campaign later and named no reasons for this. 

Hussein Dzhabrailov is also a potential candidate for the coming elections in Chechnya.

Another businessman from Moscow – Malik Saidullaev – and assistant of Russian President on the issues of the Northern Caucasus region Aslambek Aslakhanov can run as well. Mr. Aslakhanov has much support of the leaders of Russian military and law-enforcers.
 
At the elections in October 2003, Mr. Saidullaev was withdrawn by the court verdict, and Mr. Aslakhanov preferred to be appointed at a high-ranking position in the Kremlin in exchange for his withdrawing from Presidential campaign.