Ambassador of Russia in the USA Anatoly Antonov assessed the statement of the US State Department for the Non-Safety Observers and Cooperation Observers in Europe (OSCE) to the election in the State Duma. It is reported by RIA Novosti.
Antonov, commenting on the words of the official representative of the American Ministry of Prizes, noted that they cause bewilderment. He stressed that, apparently, the price is not fully familiar with the situation. The diplomat recalled that in Russia they were ready to adopt a group of observers of the Bureau of Democratic Institutions and OSCE Human Rights (ODIHR) in the amount of not less than the structure sent to US elections in 2020. The refusal to the direction of observers was exclusively the choice of the organization, he stressed.
Previously, the United States expressed regret that the OSCE would not be able to observe the elections to the State Duma due to restrictions on the epidemiological situation. In Washington, they supported the ODIHR, whose representatives declared the impossibility of observing elections with such restrictions. At the same time, the price stressed that Moscow “will not be able to get away from international attention to the elections.”
On August 3, the OSCE decided not to attend the elections in Russia due to the requirements to reduce the number of observers: only 50 and 10 people may be allowed from the ODIHR and PA, respectively, Moscow explained such a solution to epidemiological measures.
Elections within a single voting day will be held from September 17 to September 19. Simultaneously with the elections in the State Duma, the VIII convocation will take place direct elections of the heads of nine subjects of Russia and 39 regional parliaments.