Leonid Kalashnikov: CSTO parliamentarians develop a common mechanism to protect elections from foreign interference

Leonid Kalashnikov, member of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation, Chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, briefed the CSTO PA Council on the work on standards of democratic elections in the CSTO Member States and their protection from foreign interference.
“The 14th plenary session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly held on November 29, 2021 adopted a decision On the Standards of Democratic Elections in the CSTO Member States and Their Protection from Foreign Interference, setting the task to develop a legal standard for the CSTO Member States to protect democratic elections, electoral processes and sovereignty in the Organization’s States from foreign interference,” Leonid Kalashnikov said.
According to him, parameters of the draft Recommendations were prepared by the Russian interdepartmental group under the Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots of the Russian State Duma. At the suggestion of the members of the interdepartmental group, the All-Russian Public Organization Russian Public Institute of Election Law was engaged as the lead implementer of the project.
It resulted in draft Recommendations on the Improvement of Legislation in the Area of Protection of Electoral Processes and Sovereignty in the CSTO Member States.
“Countering foreign interference in elections and referenda is an issue of national and collective security that deserves the close attention of Member States’ legislators and the development of a collective response,” said Leonid Kalashnikov.
As one of the possible tools for implementing the Standard for the Protection of Democratic Elections, Electoral Processes and the Sovereignty of Member States, the draft Recommendations provided the possibility of concluding an inter-state sectoral agreement and drafted it.
Leonid Kalashnikov noted that the draft Recommendations were reviewed by the CSTO PA Expert Advisory Board and at the meeting of the CSTO PA Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation, which recommended to continue developing it.
However, during consideration of the draft Recommendations at the meeting of the CSTO PA Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation, the Kazakh side advocated removing the draft model agreement.
As a result of consideration by the commission it was decided to inform the CSTO PA Council on the progress of implementation of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly’s Decision and send the draft Recommendations to the parliaments of the CSTO Member States to obtain their expert opinions.
Work on the draft Recommendations is currently in progress.