MOSCOW, January 27, 2004. / RIA Novosti correspondent Nikolai Makarov/. Anzori Aksentiyev, a businessman and head of the Association 21st Century company, stepped down as a candidate for presidency in Russia. As Yelena Dubrovina, member of the Central Election Commission (CEC), told journalists Tuesday, CEC received Aksentiyev's statement to this effect on this very day. Dubrovina did not specify the reasons for the candidate to refuse to participate in the further presidential race.
Thus, eight candidates will continue their fight for the president's post. Four of them, i.e., Sergei Glaziyev, Irina Khakamada, Ivan Rybkin and Vladimir Bryntsalov, have not yet submitted voters' signatures in their support. Meanwhile, the deadline for submitting signature lists has been set for January 28, 6 p.m. Moscow time.
