Navalny denies his election campaign is financed from abroad

Moscow’s mayoral candidate Alexei Navalny said he did not agree with Prosecutor General’s Office, which had announced about alleged law violation - in financing of his election campaign from abroad. “Financing of our campaign fully complies with the law, and is absolutely correct in legal terms,” Navalny wrote on his website. “All payments arrive to the current account with Sberbank. The Moscow Election Commission is checking all the payments. When they tell us the payment is not legal - a patronymic or the date of birth are missing, or even citizenship - we return the payment. That’s it.” “Presently, Yandex-Money is being transferred correctly to the account with Sberbank,” he said and demonstrated a sample transaction. He also noted that the statement about the 347 IP addresses abroad, from which, as Prosecutor General’s Office had said earlier, money was transferred for the candidate’s election campaign, is unconvincing. He continued explaining that “consular registrars contain information about one million and two hundred thousand Russian citizens living abroad.” “But the actual figure is five times larger. And a couple of millions are spending their summer holidays abroad now. Besides, hundreds of thousands Internet users, located in the Russian Federation, are using foreign IP addresses. The story is similar to the “servers, located in California.”” “There are plenty of legal comments stating that the use of Yandex-Money for the campaign is absolutely legal,” Navalny said. “But, more importantly, the Moscow Election Commission is checking all received payments. If they are not satisfied with a payment, we return it. So, everyone, please, relax,” Navalny said addressing readers of his blog. Earlier on Monday, Prosecutor General’s Office said “during the inspection, we have confirmed the information about foreign financing of Alexei Navalny’s election campaign.” “We have found out that via the Yandex-Money electronic payment system over 300 foreign companies and individuals, as well as anonymous payers from 46 countries, including the US, Finland, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, from 347 IP addresses, transferred to Alexei Navalny’s electronic purses and to those of his election headquarters’ representatives Lyaskin, Yankauskas and Ashurov, the money for the election campaign of Moscow’s mayoral candidate Navalny.” A criminal case may be opened. The Prosecutor General’s Office has forwarded materials to the Interior Ministry.