In Mr. Kolesnikov's words, the existing procedure of electing governors at direct elections does not provide a democratic procedure of election.
"What democracy can be spoken about if 85-90% of property is in the hands of a small group of people? With such a situation, anyone can be elected," said the deputy prosecutor.
In his words, the regional elections showed that violations committed during them might doubt the will expression of observers.
Mr. Kolesnikov noted that in 2003, during election processes in the region, over 10,000 violations of law were registered, and 53 criminal cases started.
"By results of such elections, the winner may be revealed without voters' will expression," believes Mr. Kolesnikov.
In his opinion, the adoption of the president-submitted bill will improve the situation. "If the president's proposal is realized, these violations can be avoided," he said.
Mr. Kolesnikov said that the presidential bill did not go out of line with the Russian Constitution, as some experts believe.
"The document logically develops the provision of the country's fundamental law on unity of the system of power in the country," he emphasized. Mr. Kolesnikov noted that in case the law was adopted, the role of the regions' legislative assemblies and their authorities would increase. "This is in line with the European practice," he added.
The mechanism of dismissing a federation member's legislative assembly, if it failed to approve the president-submitted governor candidacy, is an extreme measure, presidential adviser Sergei Samoilov said at hearings in the State Duma.
The bill on the new procedure of governor elections envisages dismissal of federation members' legislative assemblies in case they twice reject the candidacy proposed by the president.
"This mechanism of dismissing legislative assemblies has been introduced into the law as an extreme measure to resolve the conflict between the president and the legislative assembly," stressed Mr. Samoilov.
Recommendations adopted by parliamentarians during the State Duma hearings voice the necessity to introduce amendments into the law on the new procedure of governor elections.
Hearing participants said the procedure of considering candidacies by the legislative assembly should be changed. If now the bill suggests dismissing the regional parliament after the president-proposed candidacy to the post of the governor is rejected twice, then the hearing participants think it should be done after a candidacy is rejected thrice.
Besides, the document notes, it is necessary to "specify the norm of ahead-of-schedule dismissal of a governor in case he loses the president's confidence or fails to fulfill his duties properly."
Recommendations stress the necessity to define an exact term of office of an acting head of the region's executive authority. He is appointed by the president in case the candidacy is rejected twice.
"Conceptually backing the submitted bill," the parliamentary hearings' participants believe "these provisions need specification."
The bill on the new procedure of electing governors has been adopted by the State Duma in the first reading and is expected to be considered by the deputies in the second reading on December 1.
