He specified that OMON (special purpose police detachment), policemen from 20 local police stations, the special security department of the Chechen Interior Ministry and the traffic police regiment with 600 people were ensuring public safety during the elections. Mr. Atsayev also stressed that all of the police (more than 13,000 people) had been on intensive schedule since February 20.
"All of the necessary measures to guarantee public safety during the elections are being taken. Extra day and night patrols have been introduced. The routes of the patrols were specially designed to allow for the fastest possible reaction to any possible incidents," the ministry representative specified. He added that 24 hours before the elections all the ministry officials would be on call.
"The situation on the eve of the elections does not give any reasons for concern," Mr. Atsaev said.
