Russian democracy is only budding, and so will do good with some conservatism as regards election laws-provided they do not hamper social progress.
"We must come at a golden means-on the one hand, without being carried away with legislative amendments and, on the other, without tolerating laws that are braking in progress, and without shrugging off challenges election campaigns make."
Russia will arrive at the golden means, as he sees it, in dialogues of candidates and voters with an active involvement of political technologists, newsmen and nongovernment organisations. "In teamwork, you always arrive at some points you share to get them on a legal footing."
The council has for a first time pointed out a range of topics that offer ample room for progress. Practice-oriented debates, with extended arguments, will eventually follow.
Among the laws in need of streamlining, Mr. Veshnyakov pointed out a federal law on basic guarantees of franchise and referendum participation. Then, there are certain matters concerning election blocs, threshold vote in parliamentary polls, and financial openness of election commissions, candidates and political parties.
The commission president called to reckon with a federal Constitutional Court resolution on election information coverage and canvassing by media outlets. "These are evident matters, and they will surely find reflection in the law on basic guarantees, which, in its turn, must offer the grounds to specify the laws on State Duma and presidential elections."
To draft a formative concept of the Federation Council, and an Election Code concept earned Mr. Veshnyakov's special mention among principal tasks of the method-setting research council. The code concept is to be ready within the next two years and a half, to be implemented after federal polls of 2007-08, he said. The acting norms will be codified if the polls prove them viable, he expects.
The council intends to be ready, by September's start, with an analytical report to sum up the 2003-04 election campaigns. The issue will come up for parliamentary hearings, November, to make respective legal amendments as early as the next year's first half.
