Vladimir Putin has signed amendments to the law on the election of the President of the Russian Federation, reports Vazhnye Istorii media. The document has been published on the legal acts portal.
Putin approved the following changes:
- The procedure for holding elections in territories under martial law (currently the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine) must be coordinated by the Central Election Commission (CEC) with the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Security Service .
- Representatives of the media without an official employment contract with the editorial office will not be allowed into polling stations.
- Photo and video recording at polling stations can only be carried out by individuals authorized by law (such as observers and accredited journalists). The person filming must maintain the confidentiality of personal data in voter lists and other documents.
- Only accredited journalists, with the commander's approval, can record the voting process in military units.
- Heads of Russian diplomatic missions abroad can now independently change the time and duration of voting "if there is a threat to the life and health of Russian citizens."
The presidential elections in Russia are scheduled for March 2024, with the exact date to be determined by the Federation Council. According to RIA Novosti, the upper house of parliament will announce the election date on December 13, setting it for March 17.