30 August 2004, 20:29
Real turnout low
As one might expect, the election of President of the Chechen Republic has been declared valid. The winner in this election had been also known long before Election Day. Over 470 thousand people, that is to say 80% of all registered voters, took part in the voting, a source in the Chechen Central Election Commission told the Caucasian Knot correspondent. Major-General Alu Alkhanov won unconditional victory, according to the commission's data.
Meanwhile many observers and locals point out the election was held in the total absence of voters at polling stations. "I can realistically assert 10-15% of the voters voted in Grozny at the most. Streets of the town were empty. In my opinion, it was caused not so much by rebels' threats as by the fact that the winner had been known in advance. People just knew nothing depended on the participation or nonparticipation in this farce," Aydamir Suleymanov, a 47-year-old resident of Grozny, said.
Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent Source: Caucasian Knot
