Three are the positions taken by Russian commentators after the election in the country. In a release to Sir Europa, online from today, Victor Khroul, spokesman of the Russian Bishops Conference, states that, according to some, "the general policy will be unchanged after the formation of new Parliament. This therefore will strengthen the state’s current course". According to others, "Russia will achieve a new development phase"; others "are not satisfied with the vote or count". They include the Communist party, "the leader of which, Gennadiy Zyuganov, states he is going to appeal against the election result which he thinks might have taken 3-4% more votes". As to foreign observers, Khroul highlights there are some "who are generally positive about it", considering "the high turnout". There are others, instead, for instance "the deputy president of the Parliamentary Assembly of OECD, K. Kilunen", who complain of "the extremely close cooperation between executive powers and political parties, which he thinks might be a problem". But, concludes Khroul, they "assume election in Russia can be regarded as democratic and, as the main reasons for that, they recall the fact the Russian citizens had the opportunity to vote for the opposition parties”.
