Parliamentary elections start in Chechnya

GROZNY, November 27 (RIA Novosti) - Parliamentary elections in the North Caucasian Republic of Chechnya have opened in a calm atmosphere, the local interior ministry said Sunday. "The night before the elections was calm. No serious incidents were registered. The situation in the republic is under full control," the ministry said. "At 08:00 a.m. Moscow time (05:00 GMT), 430 polling stations opened in the republic. A total of 345 candidates will be competing for 58 seats in the two-chamber parliament - the Republican Council and the People's Assembly. About a thousand of Russian and a dozen of international observers are monitoring the parliamentary polls in the republic. The elections will be recognized as valid, if 25% of the electors turn up at the polling stations. The polls will close at 15:00 GMT.