China News Service, July 1 (July 1). July 1 is the main polling day for the draft amendments to the Russian Constitution. Russian voters went to more than 90,000 polling stations across the country to vote. The voting results are expected to be announced after the vote count is over. Russian President Putin also went to the polling station today to complete the vote. He believes that most Russians "will recognize the necessity of amending the constitution."
Data map: Russian President Putin.
Russia’s draft amendment to the Constitution involves important issues such as the constitutional system and the human rights of citizens. Among them, the issue of sovereignty that explicitly prohibits the cession of national territory has also aroused the attention of the outside world on the disputed island issue between Russia and Japan.
The main polling day is coming
All-Russia Holiday Voting
After being delayed for two months due to the epidemic, Russia ushered in a referendum on the draft constitutional amendment, which lasted from June 25 to July 1. All Russia is on holiday today, and a large number of people went to the polling station to vote.
Unlike the previous six days, today is the main voting day and the most critical day. After the vote ends at 8pm on July 1st local time (1am on July 2nd Beijing time), the counting of votes will begin. After the counting of votes is completed, the results of this constitutional amendment vote are expected to be announced soon.
On June 25 local time, the Russian people voted at the polling station No. 2766 in Moscow. On that day, the draft amendment to the Russian Constitution began a referendum. China News Service reporter Wang Xiujun
The total population of Russia exceeds 140 million. Russia has set up 96,500 polling stations for this poll and printed 108 million votes. On each ballot, there are only two options: "support (amend the constitution)" or "oppose (amend the constitution)".
On the propaganda boards of some polling stations, the slogan "Our country, our constitution, our decisions" is also printed, encouraging people to actively exercise their right to vote.
For Russians, amending the constitution is a very important political event. The Constitution is the fundamental law of the Russian state. The amendment of the Constitution went through a series of regulatory procedures from proposal to voting. It was also delayed due to the epidemic.
On January 15, 2020, when Russian President Vladimir Putin issued his State of the Union Address, he proposed for the first time to amend the Constitution. Five days later, Putin submitted a draft constitutional amendment to the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament). On March 11, the National Duma passed the draft amendment on third reading.
Since then, the draft amendments have been approved by the Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) and the local council, and confirmed by the Constitutional Court.
Putin has said that the constitutional amendments will only take effect if they are passed by a referendum. He initially signed the presidential decree, setting April 22 as the all-Russia voting day. However, affected by the epidemic, he then signed a presidential decree to postpone the voting date to July 1.
On June 25 local time, the Russian people registered at the polling station No. 2766 in Moscow to collect their votes. On that day, the draft amendment to the Russian Constitution began a referendum. China News Service reporter Wang Xiujun
"Every vote is very important"
Putin went to the polling station to vote in person
On the main polling day, Putin arrived at the polling station No. 2151 of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where he voted for the draft amendment.
On the afternoon of June 30th, in a national speech, he called on all Russian citizens to vote, asking everyone to express their views and pointed out that "every vote is very important."
Putin also said that if the national vote supports the constitutional amendment, the common values and principles of the citizens will be written into the constitution and protected by the constitution.
Data map: Russian President Putin.
Putin said: "We vote not only to clarify the constitutional amendments to the laws and regulations, but also to choose a country where we are willing to live: modern education and medical care, reliable social security for the citizens, good political performance, and social responsibility. We vote It is to choose a country for which we work and want to leave it to future generations."
Moreover, in Putin's view, most Russians would agree on the necessity of amending the constitution. "This is the foundation that determines our national character and destiny, the current and future development of the country. Therefore, it is of course often proposed that these basic core principles be incorporated into the Russian Constitution."
Prohibition of ceding national territory
Sovereignty issues draw attention
According to reports, the current Russian Constitution has been implemented since 1993 and has been revised many times over the past 20 years on the basis that the basic laws remain unchanged. So what are the amendments involved in this amendment?
The draft amendment to the Constitution highlights the importance of the constitutional system and the human rights of citizens. It mainly includes clarifying the status of the State Council, expanding the power of the State Duma, empowering the Federal Council to appoint the President of the Supreme Court, and increasing the welfare of citizens.
However, another issue that attracts attention is the issue of Russian sovereignty. In the content of the proposed constitution, the cession of national territory is clearly prohibited.
On June 25 local time, the Russian people voted at the polling station No. 2766 in Moscow. On that day, the draft amendment to the Russian Constitution began a referendum. China News Service reporter Wang Xiujun
A previous survey by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center showed that the Russians believed that the sovereignty part of the draft constitution revision was crucial. 87% of the respondents emphasized the border and territorial integrity in the draft amendment; 74% of the respondents emphasized that the Russian Constitution is higher than international law.
In addition, the Russian satellite network quoted Limarenko, the governor of the Russian Far East Sakhalin, on June 28 as saying that the constitutional amendment will "permanently fix the indivisibility of Russian territory." , Russia calls the Southern Thousand Islands, Japan calls the "Northern Four Islands") the problem of attribution will no longer exist.
Over the years, Russia and Japan have been in constant dispute over the ownership of islands, and the two sides have so far not concluded a peace treaty. If the Russian Amendment Constitution is passed and comes into effect, the provisions prohibiting the ceding of the country’s territories will also attract more attention to the disputed island issue between Russia and Japan.
Limarenko also said, "After a few days, if foreign countries raise territorial disputes again, it will be meaningless."
"Never pose a danger to national health"
Voting during the epidemic period: disinfection of the soles, door-to-door service, network pilot
Under the epidemic situation, in order to ensure safety, the vote on the draft amendment of the Russian Constitution was postponed to the present. At present, after several months of efforts, the Russian epidemic situation has slowed. However, in order to avoid crowding during the epidemic, the voting procedure was extended to one week.
Russian President’s press secretary Peskov also previously stated that the July 1 constitutional voting procedure will not pose any danger to national health. Because in the eyes of the Russian President, national health is an absolute priority.
Data map: Red Square in Moscow, Russia under the epidemic. China News Service reporter Wang Xiujun
Leut also said recently that the new crown epidemic in Moscow will not affect the voting process anyway, because they have taken all necessary comprehensive measures to protect people from infection.
Moscow's polling station uses disposable pens and disinfection pads. All regional committees maintain stocks of necessary personal protective equipment, including disposable work clothes, protective covers, masks, gloves and disinfectants.
In addition, everyone will take their body temperature at the entrance and check if the person has symptoms of illness. Special antibacterial pads are also provided at the entrance. When people walk along the mat, the soles of their feet are disinfected.
Although on July 1, voters can only vote in the polling station, but according to the rules of the Russian-Chinese Election Commission, those who cannot vote at the polling station for health and safety or other reasons can apply for the staff to carry the ballot box and vote at the door.
Moreover, during the outbreak, people in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast also piloted online voting. From June 25 to June 30, voters in both regions have conducted remote electronic voting after applying.
This pilot approach was also welcomed by voters. According to the data from the Russian Internet Voting Observation Headquarters, the turnout rate for the constitutional voting electronic voting has reached 90%. (Finish)