Rusland dreigt met sancties na aflassen waarnemingsmissie OVSE (en)

Russia has hit back at the West over the cancellation of an observation mission for the country's elections on 2 December, saying the move was politically motivated.

"I think there is a political component", the Central Electoral Commission chief Vladimir Churov said on Monday (19 November), suggesting a link between a visit by the OSCE's Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights representative to the US and the cancellation.

"If Washington controls ODIHR, they should say it openly", he said.

The statement comes in response to a recent decision by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to cancel its plans to observe the upcoming parliamentary ballot in Russia.

The body cited "unprecedented restrictions" such as limits on the number of observers or visa delays - a criticism also echoed by some EU capitals on Monday (19 November).

According to the Bulgarian foreign minister Ivailo Kalfin, Russia "did not secure the necessary conditions for observers". He underlined the fact that the invitation was limited to the election date, preventing the observers to monitor the campaign.

French European affairs minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet said it was still "important to ensure some presence of observers".

The 56-member organisation is widely seen as the most credible election watchdog, with Russia a member of the body since 1973.

However, Mr Churov warned on Monday that Moscow was now set to "review" whether to invite the OSCE observers to the presidential poll on 2 March.

He said that the absence of observatory missions would have "absolutely no impact" on the democratic record of the elections, as "in a sovereign country, the legitimacy is defined by the people", the FT reports.

According to the UK daily, the final decision on the mission depends "to a large extent" on the outcome of a meeting of the OSCE's governing body at the end of November.

The meeting is expected to discuss proposals to cut the size of future OSCE monitoring missions and restrict publication of their reports after elections - something tabled by Russia, along with six former Soviet states.