Experts see a "precedent of justice" in cancellation of Derbent elections

The decision of the Supreme Court of Dagestan to cancel the outcomes of the elections in the city of Derbent is lawful and justified. The experts who stick to this opinion say that the courts have perceived President Medvedev's signal.

On December 23, the Supreme Court of Dagestan upheld the decision of the City Court of Derbent to nullify the outcomes of the election of the city Mayor, held on October 11, and the complaint of the public prosecutor of the city was rejected. Magomed Dibirov, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Dagestan, said that this decision would be appealed against. Meanwhile, politicians name the cancelling of the election to be a political decision.

As stated by Magomed Khanmagomedov, a correspondent of the newspaper "Chernovik" in Southern Dagestan, the decision of the Supreme Court was expected. "I tend to think that the head of the Supreme Court, who is on the eve of retirement, didn't want to dirt his name and made a fair decision," he said.

Zubairu Zubairuev, head of the "Echo Moskvy in Makhachkala" Radio, believes that the Supreme Court, as well as at the Derbent City Court, had pretty plenty legal reasons to make their decisions.

He is sure that there was a signal from above, quite sensitively caught by the country's courts. "At last, the political component of this decision looks correct. The signal originated from President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev, who said at the Congress of 'Edinaya Rossiya' that someone in the regions had mixed up elections with administrative resources. The President emphasized his intention to get rid of such figures," said Mr Zubairuev.

Magomed Khanmagomedov has added, when speaking about the plans of the Electoral Commission to challenge the decision of the Supreme Court, now the "under-the-carpet war" is on in Dagestan. "Everyone is in anticipation for who will be appointed the head of the republic. If it isn't Mukhu Aliev, then, most likely, the Derbent election case will die out. If Aliev is re-appointed, then, the Electoral Commission, to show its loyalty, will go on with this case," he believes.

Nariman Gadzhiev, the author of the programme at the RGVK television, said that the very decision of the Court depended on whether Mukhu Aliev would be re-elected for the second term in office.

Zubairu Zubairuev added that this decision of the Supreme Court cannot be named to be a political order.

"Dibirov: trial on election case of Derbent Mayor was held with violations", "President of Dagestan: court decision to nullify Derbent elections to be appealed against", "Dagestan: election results cancelled in Derbent".