CEC adopts new rules for accreditation
The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation has adopted updated rules for the accreditation of journalists for a single election day in 2021. As before, the application for accreditation can be submitted in advance: starting on July 30, 2021. Accreditation will allow journalists to work in the polling station for all three days of voting, as in the case of a re-election or a second round of voting. Journalists who work long-term and seriously in the media will not be affected by innovation – they are people who have a good understanding of their professional responsibilities. So what is changing in 2021?
photo: Natalia Muschinkina
First, nice updates. In 2021, a journalist does not have to apply for accreditation to the regional election commission, he can do so at the TEC. There is no doubt that from the point of view of Moscow journalists there is little difference: where to go & ndash; to the IPCC or to the CEC? To Lubyanka or “ Borovitskaya & # 39; & # 39 ;, all this is one pleasant walk in the center not far from the Kremlin & hellip; It can be difficult for residents of the capital to understand what permission not to go to the regional election commission means for journalists in any of the remote regions of the Russian Federation who spend all day on such a trip – and not one. Almost in line with the hare from the cartoon about Prostokvashin: I ran after him to take photos for half a day and I would run for another half day – & ndash; give a photo. All this lags behind: journalists will now receive all the necessary documents at the local TEC.
Next point & ndash; home voting. Every journalist who worked in the polling station more than once was instructed by his or her own bitter experience: to be present when voting on the spot & ndash; how happy! Sometimes & ndash; depends entirely on the mood of the PEC manager. And you can doubt how much you want & ndash; they say, what is interesting about expressing the will of 90-year-old grandmothers handcuffed in bed ?! & ndash; But professionals know: it's the voting on the spot that gives room for fraud. There would be a desire. And the documented right of journalists to be with him & ndash; This is a serious and important step in realizing that there is really nothing to hide! And for the right to photograph the moment a ballot paper was placed in a secure bag, many media photographers were ready to line up & ndash; and not everyone was allowed to. Now everything is clear.
But, as they say, there is nuance. If the former accreditation for election work was issued for a period of one year, it is now valid only on voting days. & Nbsp; Yes, it looks like a violation of journalists' rights, but let's try to remember it & ndash; when did Single Election Day come earlier than 365 days after the previous one? Extraordinary: EDG-2020 & ndash; September 13, EDG-2019 & ndash; September 8, EDG-2018 & ndash; September 9 & hellip; etc! Each year, the annual accreditation of off-road vehicles expired literally a few days before the next voting day & ndash; and I had to make a new one. Renew accreditation once a year for journalists working permanently at CEC Russia & ndash; a normal ritual, similar to brushing your teeth or changing your passport every 10 years … If another election takes place in the region during the year, then the election commission will easily grant new accreditation to those who actually work in the media. However, in today's unstable world, a lot can happen to a journalist in a year. For example, he can change jobs. It's right to leave with an “ off-road vehicle & # 39; & # 39; a person whose condition could have changed completely and irrevocably? .. Hard! & nbsp;
Well, an important aspect, not for journalists, but for those who consider themselves. Accreditation may be suspended. With everything that means. We don't need to remind experienced journalists about the need to comply with the law & ndash; but it is still relevant. The logical continuation of this requirement – in case of violation of the rules, some sanctions should appear.
Before & ndash; regardless of the behavior of the media representative & nbsp; & ndash; nothing could be done about it. A person could abuse their position to the best of their imagination & ndash; For example, think of yourself as an observer and start writing complaints. And it does not matter that the media representative does not have the right to submit suggestions and comments on the organization of the vote. Now, violating the rules, which, by the way, every journalist agrees to when submitting documents for accreditation, can suspend this accreditation. Figuratively speaking, & ndash; take the time to think.
Please read our laws and & nbsp; do not confuse observers and journalists & ndash; they are different people with different functions. If a journalist wants to announce that he is not satisfied with the organization of the vote – he has a publication from which he is accredited. & nbsp; And he is obliged to inform citizens as objectively as possible. This is what readers and viewers expect from a media representative in the polling station.