themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Result of Vote Extending Putin Rule a 'Triumph' – Kremlin

The Central Elections Commission announced that 77.92 % of voters had backed the reforms with a turnout of 67.97 % after all votes had been counted .
The Kremlin on Thursday hailed as a `` triumph '' overwhelming backing in a national vote on constitutional reforms to extend President Vladimir Putin 's rule .
The Kremlin `` definitely considers this as a triumph , '' presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters , describing the vote as a `` referendum on trust '' in the Russian president .
Russians began voting last week on the package of constitutional changes proposed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reset of presidential term limits allowing him to run twice again after his current six-year term ends in 2024 .
Other amendments strengthen presidential and parliamentary powers , enshrine traditional values including an effective ban on gay marriage and guarantee better minimum wages and pensions .
`` Now that Russians have given such support for changes to the constitution , this will all become the foundation for a better future for our country , '' Peskov said .
`` It was very difficult to predict the extremely high turnout and the extremely high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many as a foregone conclusion , however , and copies of the new constitution were already on sale in bookshops weeks ahead of the ballot .
Only the Nenets autonomous region in the Russian Arctic came out against the reforms , with 55.25 % of voters opposing the changes to the Constitution .
The isolated and sparsely populated region where reindeer herding is the traditional way of life is facing unification with the neighboring Arkhangelsk region in a move that has sparked a local opposition movement .
`` You ca n't rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... influenced the result '' Peskov said , while stressing that the region 's voters were `` an absolute minority . ''
Russia 's two houses of parliament previously approved the amendments but Putin said they would only take effect if supported by a majority of voters .
Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny condemned the poll , tweeting that it set `` a record in faking votes '' and the result had `` nothing in common with people 's views . ''
The Golos election monitoring group said Thursday it had received more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including reports of employees being forced to vote .
The organization described the vote as `` unprecedented '' in terms of violations , saying it would go down in history as an attack on the sovereignty of the people .
Election commission chief Ella Pamfilova rebuffed criticisms , saying in televised comments that `` there is no doubt that the vote is valid and legitimate . ''

Russia's Central Elections Commission announced early Thursday that nearly 78% of voters had cast their ballot in favor of the changes to the constitution that could see Putin, 67, remain in power until 2036.
President Vladimir Putin thanked Russians on Thursday for voting in favor of controversial amendments to the constitution that could extend his grip on power, as the opposition and Western leaders voiced criticism over suspected poll violations.
"Thank you very much for your support and trust," Putin said in televised remarks during which he also warned that modern Russia was still in the process of being formed.
"Very little time has passed since the break-up of the Soviet Union," Putin said. "We need internal stability and time to strengthen the country and its institutions."
Russians began voting last week on the package of constitutional changes proposed by Putin earlier this year, including a reset of presidential term limits allowing him to run twice again after his current six-year term ends in 2024.
Other amendments strengthen presidential and parliamentary powers, enshrine traditional values including an effective ban on gay marriage and guarantee better minimum wages and pensions.
The Kremlin pulled out all the stops to bolster the turnout and makeshift polling stations cropped up across the country, including some in buses, tents and on street benches which were ridiculed on social media.
Results showing a sweeping majority in favor of the reforms drew criticism in the United States, which raised concerns over efforts to "manipulate" the ballot, while the EU called on Russia to probe reports of voting "irregularities."
Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny also condemned the poll, tweeting that it set "a record in faking votes" and the result had "nothing in common with people's views."
A 'triumph'
The vote, which was originally scheduled for April 22, had to be postponed after health officials reported a spike in coronavirus cases that overwhelmed hospitals and saw Russia become the world's most infected country after the United States and Brazil.
Putin — already in power for two decades — rescheduled the vote to be held a week after massive World War II commemorations throughout the country that analysts said were important to the Kremlin to stir up patriotic sentiment ahead of the ballot.
The president's approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows of 59% in recent months, partly over the government's early handling of the coronavirus pandemic but also over longstanding economic malaise.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the result as a "triumph" and described the ballot as a "referendum on trust" in the Russian president.
The result was seen by many as a foregone conclusion, however, and copies of the new constitution were already on sale in bookshops weeks ahead of the vote.
'Unprecedented violations'
Authorities claimed that only the autonomous Nenets region in the Russian Arctic came out against the reforms, with 55.25% of voters opposing the changes. The result there was seen as a protest vote over plans to merge Nenets with the neighboring Arkhangelsk region, officials said.
Russia's two houses of parliament previously approved the amendments but Putin said they would only take effect if supported by a majority of voters.
To lure crowds to the ballot, the last day of voting was declared a national holiday and prizes — including apartments, cars and cash — were on offer to voters.
The Golos election monitoring group said Thursday it had received more than 2,100 complaints over possible violations, including reports of employees being forced to vote.
The organization described the vote as "unprecedented" in terms of violations, saying it would go down in history as an attack on the sovereignty of the people.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Washington was "troubled" by the Russian government's efforts to manipulate the election and reports of voter coercion.
The European Union also condemned the vote citing "allegations of irregularities" and called on Russia to investigate the "serious" claims.
Election commission chief Ella Pamfilova rebuffed the criticisms, saying that "there is no doubt that the vote is valid and legitimate."


themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Mongolia Quarantines Russian Border Region Over Bubonic Plague Suspicion

Lab tests confirmed that two unidentified individuals had contracted the “ marmot plague ” in the region of Khovd , Mongolia ’ s National Center for Zoonotic Disease ( NCZD ) said in a statement .
Mongolia has quarantined its western region near the border with Russia after identifying two suspected cases of the black plague linked to the consumption of marmot meat , health officials said Wednesday .
The NCZD said it moved to quarantine the provincial capital and one of the region ’ s districts about 500 kilometers south of the southern Siberian republics of Tyva and Altai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region , the state-run TASS news agency cited Mongolian media as saying .
The NCZD said it has analyzed samples taken from 146 people who it said had contacts with the two infected persons and identified 504 second-contact individuals .
Media reports suggested that the victims were a 27-year-old male and a young woman of an unknown age .
Mongolia closed a key border crossing with Russia in May 2019 on suspicion that it may have played a role in an outbreak of the plague , stranding several Russian tourists .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marmot meat in that incident .
Experts say the direct descendants of the same bubonic plague that killed 50 million people in the 14th century still exist today , killing around 2,000 people a year .

Lab tests confirmed that two unidentified individuals had contracted the “marmot plague” in the region of Khovd, Mongolia’s National Center for Zoonotic Disease (NCZD) said in a statement.
Mongolia has quarantined its western region near the border with Russia after identifying two suspected cases of the black plague linked to the consumption of marmot meat, health officials said Wednesday.
The NCZD said it moved to quarantine the provincial capital and one of the region’s districts about 500 kilometers south of the southern Siberian republics of Tyva and Altai.
Vehicles are temporarily banned from entering the region, the state-run TASS news agency cited Mongolian media as saying.
The NCZD said it has analyzed samples taken from 146 people who it said had contacts with the two infected persons and identified 504 second-contact individuals. Media reports suggested that the victims were a 27-year-old male and a young woman of an unknown age.
Mongolia closed a key border crossing with Russia in May 2019 on suspicion that it may have played a role in an outbreak of the plague, stranding several Russian tourists. A husband and wife had died after eating marmot meat in that incident.
Experts say the direct descendants of the same bubonic plague that killed 50 million people in the 14th century still exist today, killing around 2,000 people a year.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Pass 660K

Russia's Coronavirus Cases Pass 660K

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8 , a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks .
Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic .
Critics have cast doubt on Russia 's low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting to play down the scale of the crisis .
Russia attributes its lower virus death figures to mass testing which has identified many cases with mild or no coronavirus symptoms .
The Health Ministry is now adjusting how it reports numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to the virus even if the direct cause of death was another condition or the patient tested negative .
Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin , a liberal politician known for his outspoken comments , said Russia 's health system requires more funds and modernization in many regions .
`` Medicine is significantly underfunded even according to the current norms and also it needs a serious overhaul , '' Kudrin , who heads the Audit Chamber that examines government spending , said in an interview with the state-run TASS state news agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and show these figures , '' he added .
Nevertheless the economist said Russia `` is not doing a bad job with the pandemic , '' crediting the role of the military , which has built emergency facilities .

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Final Vote Result Shows Big Majority for Putin Reforms

Russians have overwhelmingly backed constitutional reforms that will allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule , the Central Elections Commission said Thursday .
With all votes counted , the CEC said 77.92 % of voters had backed the reforms , with turnout of about 65 % .
Only one region , the Nenets autonomous district in Russia 's Arctic , registered a majority of votes against the amendments .
In the republic of Komi , the CEC initially reported that 68.88 % of votes opposed the reforms .
It later said that 66.19 % of votes in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversing its earlier count .
An election monitor in St. Petersburg tweeted a photo of more than a dozen ballots with `` yes '' votes in what appeared to be nearly identical handwriting .
From June 25-July 1 Russians voted on the package of constitutional changes proposed by Putin , including a reset of presidential term limits allowing him to run twice again after his current six-year term ends in 2024 .
Other amendments would strengthen presidential and parliamentary powers , enshrine traditional values including an effective ban on gay marriage and guarantee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's two houses of parliament previously approved the amendments but Putin said they would only take effect if supported by a majority of voters .
Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny described early results showing Russians ' strong backing for the reforms as a `` huge lie '' that did n't reflect reality .
Independent election monitor Golos said it has received hundreds of complaints of violations , including people voting more than once and claims that employers had put pressure on staff to cast ballots .
“ The vote was indeed unprecedented and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country as an example of encroachment on the sovereignty of the people , ” Golos said in a statement Thursday summarizing its monitoring campaign .

Russians have overwhelmingly backed constitutional reforms that will allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule, the Central Elections Commission said Thursday. With all votes counted, the CEC said 77.92% of voters had backed the reforms, with turnout of about 65%.
Only one region, the Nenets autonomous district in Russia's Arctic, registered a majority of votes against the amendments. In the republic of Komi, the CEC initially reported that 68.88% of votes opposed the reforms. It later said that 66.19% of votes in the region were for the amendments, almost completely reversing its earlier count. An election monitor in St. Petersburg tweeted a photo of more than a dozen ballots with "yes" votes in what appeared to be nearly identical handwriting.
Strong evidence of vote-rigging in St. Petersburg if you look at the almost identical ticks here https://t.co/0H5u4WdxhP — Nataliya Vasilyeva (@Nat_Vasilyeva) July 1, 2020


themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Putin’s WWII and Referendum Holidays Cost Russian Economy More Than $5Bln

Extra public holidays introduced by the Russian government for the delayed Victory Day parade and the constitutional referendum could have cost the Russian economy more than $ 5 billion , analysts told The Moscow Times .
The additional hit from the Kremlin-backed shutdowns comes as Russia ’ s economy is already set for a sharp recession and two years of lost growth as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
Russian lawmakers designated June 24 a special public holiday so parades to mark 75 years since the end of World War II could take place in Moscow and across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red Square was delayed from 9 May — also a public holiday — because of the pandemic .
July 1 was also added to Russia ’ s swelling calendar of public holidays to coincide with the last last day of a week-long nationwide vote on constitutional reforms .
The midweek holidays required swathes of the Russian economy to be ground to a halt , just as Russia had begun to restart following a prolonged shutdown throughout April and May , economists said .
Russia is already one of the “ world leaders ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering both public holidays and paid vacation time , economist Vladimir Miklashevsky told The Moscow Times .
“ This has been very costly for Russia ’ s economic growth and the potential growth of citizens ’ wealth , as GDP output is halved during a one-day holiday , ” he said .
Miklashevsky estimated that the cost of each of the additional public holidays could have reached 300 billion rubles in lost output — or more than $ 8.5 billion across the two days .
The impact could be twice as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic means traditional winners such as restaurants , tourism and entertainment businesses , can ’ t fully capitalize on a potential boost in consumer spending , he added .
Other economists agreed that economic losses from the public holidays could exceed $ 5 billion .
Heli Simola , senior economist at the Bank of Finland ’ s Institute for Economies in Transition ( BOFIT ) , gave a rough estimate of losses worth 0.4 % of Russia ’ s annual GDP — around $ 6.8 billion .
Dmitry Dolgin , chief Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third of the Russian economy would have been shut down on each of the public holidays , mainly the manufacturing , construction , financial , science and education sectors .
“ The overall negative effect of the two extra holidays should be around 1.5 % of monthly GDP in June and July each — or 0.2-0.3 % of annual GDP , ” he told The Moscow Times .
In dollar terms , that would be equivalent to between $ 3.4- $ 5.1 billion .
A proposal to reduce the number of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three to help boost the Russian economy was roundly rejected by the upper house of Russia ’ s parliament , the Federation Council , in June , with senators arguing it would violate Russians ’ “ constitutional right to rest.
” President Vlaidmir Putin ’ s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has also pushed back against reducing the long New Year break .
“ Russian legislators who traditionally have high and safe incomes continue to lobby for long holidays in 2021 , ” Miklashevsky said .
“ Yet , for ordinary people whose income depends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holidays will mean a further meltdown of their wealth.
” Real incomes are expected to fall by more than 3 % in 2021 , Russia ’ s Economy Ministry has forecast .
Miklashevsky also said the Russian practice of “ bunching ” public holidays , which results in week-long holidays for Russians at the beginning of January and May is an extra drag on growth , because it takes longer to wind business operations down and back up again .
In pre-coronavirus days the “ bunched ” non-working days would cost the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.8 billion ) a day , opposed to 100-150 billion rubles for a standalone public holiday .
The potential $ 8 billion hit from the two extra holidays comes as Russia is set for a protracted and deep recession .
The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) expects the Russian economy to contract by 6.6 % in 2020 — equivalent to a $ 100 billion loss of economic output , based on Russia ’ s nominal GDP of around $ 1.7 trillion .
The IMF also forecast that Russia ’ s economy will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the crisis .
While global GDP will largely have recovered by the end of next year , Russia ’ s economy will still be 2.5 % smaller , the organization said in its most recent economic outlook .

Extra public holidays introduced by the Russian government for the delayed Victory Day parade and the constitutional referendum could have cost the Russian economy more than $5 billion, analysts told The Moscow Times. The additional hit from the Kremlin-backed shutdowns comes as Russia’s economy is already set for a sharp recession and two years of lost growth as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Russian lawmakers designated June 24 a special public holiday so parades to mark 75 years since the end of World War II could take place in Moscow and across the country. The set piece event on Red Square was delayed from 9 May — also a public holiday — because of the pandemic. July 1 was also added to Russia’s swelling calendar of public holidays to coincide with the last last day of a week-long nationwide vote on constitutional reforms.
The midweek holidays required swathes of the Russian economy to be ground to a halt, just as Russia had begun to restart following a prolonged shutdown throughout April and May, economists said. Russia is already one of the “world leaders” when it comes to paid holidays, considering both public holidays and paid vacation time, economist Vladimir Miklashevsky told The Moscow Times. “This has been very costly for Russia’s economic growth and the potential growth of citizens’ wealth, as GDP output is halved during a one-day holiday,” he said. Miklashevsky estimated that the cost of each of the additional public holidays could have reached 300 billion rubles in lost output — or more than $8.5 billion across the two days. The impact could be twice as much as a normal public holiday, because the coronavirus pandemic means traditional winners such as restaurants, tourism and entertainment businesses, can’t fully capitalize on a potential boost in consumer spending, he added. Other economists agreed that economic losses from the public holidays could exceed $5 billion. Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland’s Institute for Economies in Transition (BOFIT), gave a rough estimate of losses worth 0.4% of Russia’s annual GDP — around $6.8 billion. Dmitry Dolgin, chief Russia economist at ING Bank estimated that around a third of the Russian economy would have been shut down on each of the public holidays, mainly the manufacturing, construction, financial, science and education sectors. “The overall negative effect of the two extra holidays should be around 1.5% of monthly GDP in June and July each — or 0.2-0.3% of annual GDP,” he told The Moscow Times. In dollar terms, that would be equivalent to between $3.4-$5.1 billion.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-02--Putin Triumphant as Critics Slam Vote Extending His Rule

Russia 's Central Elections Commission announced early Thursday that nearly 78 % of voters had cast their ballot in favor of the changes to the constitution that could see Putin , 67 , remain in power until 2036 .
President Vladimir Putin thanked Russians on Thursday for voting in favour of controversial amendments to the constitution that could extend his grip on power , as the opposition and Western leaders voiced criticism over suspected poll violations .
`` Thank you very much for your support and trust , '' Putin said in televised remarks during which he also warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being formed .
`` Very little time has passed since the break-up of the Soviet Union , '' Putin said .
`` We need internal stability and time to strengthen the country and its institutions . ''
Russians began voting last week on the package of constitutional changes proposed by Putin earlier this year , including a reset of presidential term limits allowing him to run twice again after his current six-year term ends in 2024 .
Other amendments strengthen presidential and parliamentary powers , enshrine traditional values including an effective ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wages and pensions .
The Kremlin pulled out all the stops to bolster the turnout and makeshift polling stations cropped up across the country , including some in buses , tents and on street benches which were ridiculed on social media .
Results showing a sweeping majority in favour of the reforms drew criticism in the United States , which raised concerns over efforts to `` manipulate '' the ballot , while the EU called on Russia to probe reports of voting `` irregularities . ''
Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny also condemned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a record in faking votes '' and the result had `` nothing in common with people 's views . ''
The vote , which was originally scheduled for April 22 , had to be postponed after health officials reported a spike in coronavirus cases that overwhelmed hospitals and saw Russia become the world 's most infected country after the United States and Brazil .
Putin — already in power for two decades — rescheduled the vote to be held a week after massive World War II commemorations throughout the country that analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stir up patriotic sentiment ahead of the ballot .
The president 's approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows of 59 % in recent months , partly over the government 's early handling of the coronavirus pandemic but also over longstanding economic malaise .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the result as a `` triumph '' and described the ballot as a `` referendum on trust '' in the Russian president .
The result was seen by many as a foregone conclusion , however , and copies of the new constitution were already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote .
Authorities claimed that only the autonomous Nenets region in the Russian Arctic came out against the reforms , with 55.25 % of voters opposing the changes .
The result there was seen as a protest vote over plans to merge Nenets with the neighboring Arkhangelsk region , officials said .
Russia 's two houses of parliament previously approved the amendments but Putin said they would only take effect if supported by a majority of voters .
To lure crowds to the ballot , the last day of voting was declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartments , cars and cash — were on offer to voters .
The Golos election monitoring group said Thursday it had received more than 2,100 complaints over possible violations , including reports of employees being forced to vote .
The organization described the vote as `` unprecedented '' in terms of violations , saying it would go down in history as an attack on the sovereignty of the people .
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Washington was `` troubled '' by the Russian government 's efforts to manipulate the election and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union also condemned the vote citing `` allegations of irregularities '' and called on Russia to investigate the `` serious '' claims .
Election commission chief Ella Pamfilova rebuffed the criticisms , saying that `` there is no doubt that the vote is valid and legitimate . ''


themoscowtimes--2020-07-03--Coronavirus-Infected Moscow Election Official Administered Vote on Putin Reforms – Reports

The nationwide vote was postponed from its original date of April 22 and was spread out over a week due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Health officials had warned that it might still be too soon to hold the vote , citing the risk of ushering in a second wave of the virus .
A Moscow election official infected with the coronavirus administered votes during Russia ’ s weeklong plebiscite on constitutional changes , the Dozhd television channel reported Thursday .
Election workers at a polling station in Moscow ’ s Severnoye Tushino district were tested for the virus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already begun on June 25 .
The polling station 's chair Olga Vorokhobko received her positive test results in the afternoon on Wednesday , the last day of voting , Dozhd reported , citing another election official in the Severnoye Tushino district .
Vorokhobko went home to self-isolate upon receiving the results but the polling station remained open to voters until the polls closed , Dozhd reported .
According to official numbers , 1,310 people voted at this polling station in-person , with more than 300 voting on July 1 alone .
About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor of the package of amendments with a 68 % turnout , a result the Kremlin hailed as a “ triumph ” and critics derided as illegitimate .
In addition to adding populist and conservative tenets to the Constitution , the changes also allow Putin to seek re-election twice after 2024 by resetting his term limits .
Russia has confirmed a total of 667,883 coronavirus cases nationwide as of Friday , with most new cases appearing outside Moscow in recent weeks .

The nationwide vote was postponed from its original date of April 22 and was spread out over a week due to the coronavirus pandemic. Health officials had warned that it might still be too soon to hold the vote, citing the risk of ushering in a second wave of the virus.
A Moscow election official infected with the coronavirus administered votes during Russia’s weeklong plebiscite on constitutional changes, the Dozhd television channel reported Thursday.
Election workers at a polling station in Moscow’s Severnoye Tushino district were tested for the virus on June 27-28, days after voting had already begun on June 25.
The polling station's chair Olga Vorokhobko received her positive test results in the afternoon on Wednesday, the last day of voting, Dozhd reported, citing another election official in the Severnoye Tushino district.
Vorokhobko went home to self-isolate upon receiving the results but the polling station remained open to voters until the polls closed, Dozhd reported.
According to official numbers, 1,310 people voted at this polling station in-person, with more than 300 voting on July 1 alone.
About 78% of Russian voters voted in favor of the package of amendments with a 68% turnout, a result the Kremlin hailed as a “triumph” and critics derided as illegitimate. In addition to adding populist and conservative tenets to the Constitution, the changes also allow Putin to seek re-election twice after 2024 by resetting his term limits.
Russia has confirmed a total of 667,883 coronavirus cases nationwide as of Friday, with most new cases appearing outside Moscow in recent weeks.