ALL PARTICIPANTS IN 2004 PRESIDENTIAL RACE HAVE BEEN DETERMINED

MOSCOW, JANUARY 6, 2004. (RIA Novosti correspondent Nikolai Makarov) -- Representatives of the Russian Party of Life have handed over to the Central Election Committee all the documents necessary for the registration of the party's leader, speaker of the Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Sergei Mironov as candidate to the post of the Russian president. This information was disclosed by the party's executive committee.

Thus, all the potential candidates for the country's highest post have been determined, since today is the last day when the Russian CEC accepts documents from the parties, which have nominated their candidates.

Ten candidates take part in the election race, while six of them - the incumbent president, Vladimir Putin, co-chairman of the Homeland bloc Sergei Glazyev, co-chairman of the Union of Right Forces Irina Khakamada, former Security Council secretary Ivan Rybkin, and businessmen Vladimir Bryntsalov and Anzori Aksentyev - are participating as independent candidates. They should gather two million signatures in their support till January 28th.

Four parties also nominated their candidates: Nikolai Kharitonov from KPRF, Oleg Malyshkin from LDPR, Viktor Gerashchenko from Russian Regions and Sergei Mironov from the Party of Life.

Only KPRF and LDPR, which cleared the five percent barrier in the December 7th, 2003 parliamentary elections, should not gather signatures, while Gerashchenko and Mironov should submit two million signatures each to the CEC till January 28th.

The presidential elections are scheduled for March 14th, 2004.