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Tiraspol not willing to register opposition representative in electoral race

November 21, 2006
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Opposition candidate Andrei Safonov, editor of the opposition newspaper Novaia Gazeta in Tiraspol was denied the right to stand as a candidate for the post of “president” of the separatist Transnistrian republic.

The local electoral commission in Tiraspol turned down Monday the application of Safonov for registration as a candidate to the post of "president" because he has allegedly falsified signatures in his favour. Safonov lacked 609 valid signatures to be registered in the electoral race.

Safonov stated to BASA that he will contest the decision of the commission. He noted that he was the only candidate of the opposition and became "victim of a political revenge with the use of administrative resources."

Tiraspol said last weekend that it could refuse the registration of an opposition representative for the electoral race in the region.

Petr Denisenco, chairman of the Transnistrian Election Commission, said that "some will be registered, while some will not be because a person who forges acts to stand as a candidate cannot be president."

Although international organisations will not monitor the elections in the self-proclaimed Transnistrian republic and results will not be recognised, Tiraspol claims that it respects the democratic procedure of organising the scrutiny.

The Election Commission has registered following candidates until now: Igor Smirnov, incumbent “president” of the separatist Transnistrian region, who bids for the forth mandate in a row; local lawmaker Petr Tomaili; Nadejda Bondarenco, editor of the communist newspaper Pravda Prednestrovya.

Transnistria will elect a “president” on December 10. // BASA-Press