The Supreme Court on 24 July ruled that the electoral commission of the Republic of Bashkortostan illegally struck two would-be candidates off the ballot for a June presidential election. Shortly before the election, the Supreme Court ruled that Duma deputy Aleksandr Arinin and Marat Mirgazyamov were entitled to run for the republican presidency. The Bashkir electoral commission registered them as candidates but almost immediately revoked their registration for alleged campaign violations, ``Nezavisimaya gazeta'' reported on 25 July. As a result, President Murtaza Rakhimov faced only one opponent, and that candidate did not criticize the incumbent during the campaign (see ``RFE/RL Newsline'', 15 and 23 June 1998). Arinin now plans to ask the Bashkir Supreme Court to declare the election invalid. He will again appeal to the federal Supreme Court if, as expected, judges in Bashkortostan reject his case, RFE/RL's Moscow bureau reported. LB
27 июля 1998г. Радио ``Свобода'' / ``Свободная Европа'' --- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty