Moscow: President Vladimir Putin promised foreign diplomats today that this weekend's parliamentary elections would be open and honest, and repeated warnings that Russia won't tolerate foreign meddling.

The elections Sunday for the State Duma, the powerful lower house of parliament, have come under criticism abroad and from Russia's fractured opposition. Critics charge the vote is being manipulated by the Kremlin to ensure an overwhelming victory for the pro-Putin United Russia party.

"We know the value of authentic democracy and are interested in conducting honest, maximally transparent and open elections without organisational shortcomings and malfunctions," Putin told diplomats in a meeting at the Kremlin. "We are sure that this will be done."
Skepticism about the elections rose last week after the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it would not monitor the elections because Russia had delayed visas so long that the mission could not do adequate work.

Putin alleged this week that the decision not to send observers was encouraged by the United States to undermine trust in Russia. In recent months, Putin has increasingly accused the West, and the United States in particular, of trying to impose its own concept of democracy on Russia.

The elections have been criticised on various grounds, including the 7-per cent barrier that a party must reach to get any of its candidates into the Duma. Only the Communist Party is seen as sure to rack up that level of support.

Source : PTI