The Russian Embassy in the US has received a refusal of US authorities to monitor the elections and a warning that appearance of Russian diplomats at voting stations may be viewed as a criminal offense.
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The Russian Embassy in the US expressed its interest in learning about the American experience in organization of voting, but has received a refusal of US authorities to observe the elections, as well as a warning that appearance of Russian diplomats at voting stations may be viewed as a criminal offense.
According to a statement of the Russian diplomatic mission, released on Friday, the Russian Embassy in the US notified about its intention to find out more about the process of voting “in order to respectful fulfill our diplomatic functions.” In addition, the Embassy also appealed to several local election commissions “in order of respectful and transparent approach.” The statement stresses that the Russian side indicated its interest exactly in American experience in organization of elections.
“Unfortunately, mostly, we have received negative responses, including threats that our interest and appearance at a voting station may be regarded as a criminal offense,” the statement reads.
The Russian Embassy in the US also noted that reports of US media that some local authorities have coordinated its negative decision with federal agencies, contradict official statements of the US administration.
In its turn, the US Department of State handed the Embassy a “note, according to which ‘for participation in the monitoring’ all Russian overseas agencies in the US should appeal to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.”
“This note has not left us any alternatives for implementation of our normal work, in contrast to what our US counterparts say now,” the statement of the Russian Embassy in the US reads.
