DATE=2/13/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA DEADLINE (L)
NUMBER=2-259107
BYLINE=BILL GASPERINI
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Today is the deadline for candidates to file
registration papers for Russia's presidential
election, due to be held late next month. And there
is no lack of prospective candidates, although only
one man has a real chance of winning the March 26th
vote. Bill Gasperini reports from Moscow.
TEXT: Russia's Central Election Commission has been a
busy place over the last few days.
By law, Sunday is the deadline for potential
presidential candidates to file an application with
the commission.
Each application must be accompanied by at least 500-
thousand signatures, collected by supporters.
The commission then has to verify the signatures and
formally register the candidate.
By early Sunday the commission had received over ten
applications, with two candidates already registered:
Communist party chief Gennady Zyuganov and a lesser-
known candidate from a party called "Spiritual
Heritage".
But all eyes are on Acting President Vladimir Putin,
the man who opinion polls show to be way out in front
of everyone else.
Mr. Putin's signature list is to be considered by
Tuesday, and is sure to be approved.
Mr. Zyuganov is the only real challenger to Mr. Putin,
whose popularity stems largely from his tough stand in
the bloody war against Chechen rebels.
But even the Communist leader stands little chance of
beating Russia's acting leader;
Opinion polls show over half the electorate is likely
to vote for Mr. Putin as opposed to about 20 percent
for Mr. Zyuganov.
Other likely candidates include liberal leader Grigory
Yavlinsky and extreme nationalist Vladimir
Zhirinovsky.
Their poll ratings are only in the single digits.
While Mr. Putin is in front for now, things such as a
major battlefield disaster in Chechnya could dent his
popularity.
Mr. Zyuganov and other candidates have also called on
Mr. Putin to clarify his stand on key issues, such as
economic policy.
An air of mystery still surrounds Mr. Putin, the
former spy agency chief who became acting president
when Boris Yeltsin resigned on New Year's Eve.
Some support could even shift to Mr. Zyuganov for a
uniquely Russian reason: last week the government
announced new taxes that will increase the price of
vodka.
If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote on
March 26th, a second round (of voting) will have to be
held. (Signed)
NEB/BG/PLM
TEXT:
NEB/WTW/
13-Feb-2000 07:02 AM EDT (13-Feb-2000 1202 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
