On January 1, some staff members will be on duty in the Central Election Committee. He recalled that January 1 is the last day when the CEC accepts documents from potential self-appointed seekers of the presidency.
Olga Zastrozhnaya, CEC secretary, who heads the working group on the acceptance of documents from candidates, expressed hope that CEC members would not have to report at work on January 1. But, as RIA Novosti was told at the CEC press-service, it is not ruled out that Irina Khakamada, who has announced her self-appointment as presidential candidate, would turn in the required documents precisely on the first day of the new year 2004.
Interviewed by a RIA Novosti correspondent, staff members of the Central Election Committee complained that they have had to work practically without days off since September of last year, the start of the election campaign for the State Duma (lower house of parliament).
