Activists explained the demand for debates before the elections for the head of Dagestan

Although the outcome of the elections for the head of Dagestan is predetermined, the debates among candidates for this position are necessary, believe the authors of the appeal to the deputies. Journalists interviewed by "Caucasian Knot" doubted the activists' arguments and do not expect a response from the authorities.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the Coordinating Council of NGOs of Dagestan stated that the outcome of the elections for the head of the republic is predetermined, and fake candidates have been put forward against the acting head Fyodor Shchukin. Activists called on the deputies to replace one of the candidates and postpone the elections for a month to hold public debates.

The goal of the activists' appeal is to encourage Fyodor Shchukin's formal opponents to express their own opinions, said the chairman of the Coordinating Council Shamil Khadulaev. He explained why the council is asking to replace Davdiev: according to the authors of the appeal, Davdiev himself proposed Shchukin's candidacy to Putin.

"Common sense should prevail. It doesn't happen that a person who goes to the President of Russia and asks to support Shchukin's candidacy then runs against Shchukin himself. This is a concert, this is unrealistic. This indicates that this is all a setup. It looks ridiculous, but such things should not be done. At the very least, he should have refused to run," Khadulaev told "Caucasian Knot".

Debates, even with predetermined outcomes, are needed so that the authorities in Dagestan stop being "deaf and mute," he explained.

"For all these years, the same people have been put forward as 'alternative candidates.' For example, Davdiev was nominated back in 2018, then in 2021, and now Davdiev is being nominated again. And all these years he has been silent, like Buratino, whose mouth was tied in a tavern. In 2021, two people voted for him out of 11 fair Russia members, even though he is also a fair Russia member. No matter what elections are held, we never see anyone open their mouth. At least open your mouth, say something. At this rate, our parliament will be dissolved over time and abolished for lack of need. Because they will say, you see, they can't even string two words together. Why do we need these stern mutes?" Khadulaev added. He emphasized that the activists do not agree with such an approach to forming leadership in the republic.

Public figure Denga Khalidov, who signed the appeal, also believes the elections are staged, emphasizing that there are no real alternative candidates to Shchukin. "Why mock, why pretend in this matter as if we are having alternative elections? This is a common agreed opinion of the Coordinating Council's activists," he said.

In Khalidov's opinion, debates would help clarify issues important for the development of the republic. "Debates are needed to understand what the candidate for the head of the republic intends to do. The republic is complex, with three million people, located in an important geostrategic, geopolitical, and geo-economic piece of land in Eurasia, in the Caucasus, bordering five states. We do not want a 'cat in a bag'," he explained.

Journalists: the result is 'pre-played'

Journalist Milrad Fatullaev fully shares the opinion that the election results are predetermined and obvious. "Spoiler parties – traditional for voting for the head of Dagestan in the parliament, the fair Russia and communists – only ensure compliance with the formality of the procedure. These candidates have been put forward before, receiving two votes each, and will get the same now. Evaluating such formality, one can say: the result is obvious, but it is not fake – it is pre-played. All parties and deputies are satisfied with this. And the leaders of the Dagestani branches of the CPRF and SR are even more satisfied than their party leaders in Moscow," he said.

He recalled the complaint of CPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov to Putin during a meeting with the heads of factions immediately after the elections. According to Zyuganov, in Dagestan he was "painted" a couple of percent, although previously he received 60-70 percent of the votes. The republic did not react to this in any way, noted Fatullaev. "Moreover, the parties did not fight for the speaker's position at the first session on September 30, and the communists did not receive the vice-speaker positions, and this in 'red' Dagestan!" the journalist emphasized.

The activists' proposal, in his opinion, is supported by the overwhelming majority of the republic's residents. "The assessment is unambiguous, but very passive in execution, primarily on the part of the so-called parties and their leaders," Fatullaev pointed out.

The rhetoric of the activists about fake candidates and the predetermined election of the head of Dagestan is controversial, believes a Dagestani journalist who wished to remain unnamed.

"And it is frankly unclear why the emphasis is placed only on Kamil Davdiev, while another equally insignificant candidate, Samir Abdulhalikov, is forgotten. Of course, one can postpone the election of the head of the republic for a month or a year, but this will not affect the election results: everyone understands, especially in the People's Assembly of Dagestan, who the Kremlin (personally Putin) sees as the head of the republic. Accordingly, all deputies, including Davdiev and Abdulhalikov, understand who they MUST vote for. Any competition in this matter is perceived at the top as some kind of rebellion, protest activity, and, accordingly, all who will compete with Shchukin will be regarded as enemies of the state," he explained.

These unwritten rules are known among Dagestani officials, so deputies will vote as needed, not as the activists want, noted the journalist. "If we take the issue of the resonance of this problem with the daily problems of ordinary Dagestanis, then for most of them it is absolutely clear how this story with the election of the head of the republic will end, that there is no systemic and safe method to change it. Accordingly, they observe the election process simply out of interest, as one watches ripples on the water," he said.

No reaction from the Kremlin to the activists' calls should be expected, the journalist believes. "For the vast majority of active public organizations and political forces, this issue is not critical enough for them to go out to rallies and protests. Accordingly, everything else – controlled indignation within civilized frameworks – can be ignored," he concluded.