Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov believes the Moscow mayoral election was “sterile”. Sergei Sobyanin was elected mayor in a direct election on September 8, a general election day across the country.

       Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov believes the Moscow mayoral election was “sterile”. Sergei Sobyanin was elected mayor in a direct election on September 8, a general election day across the country.

       “I believe we definitely achieved our goal to prove that the election was absolutely fair, transparent, I would even say sterile. I think the Moscow mayoral election was sterile,” Ivanov said on the sidelines of the Valdai international discussion club.

       He added that the officials have to some extent contributed to the popularity of the opposition. “Let’s be honest, some oppositional candidates openly received support in collecting signatures. Representatives of other parties signed petitions to support the registration of some of the candidates. So yes,there was some help with promotion,” Ivanov said.

       Dialogue with members of the opposition who recognize the law and the rules of the game is possible and necessary, he continued.

       “We should make a clear distinction between two types of the opposition. Some of the opposition recognize the law and, if you like, the rules of the game. Not only is dialogue possible with this type of opposition, but it is necessary and we welcome it. There is another section of the opposition that rejects the law, uses illegitimate means and even violates the law. This type of opposition is, to put it nicely, difficult to deal with,” Ivanov said.

       Views expressed are of individual Members and Contributors, rather than the Club's, unless explicitly stated otherwise.