The situation developing around Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov
indicates of the crisis of the political system created in
Russia in the past ten years.
Abolishing direct elections of regional leaders, the federal
leaders have destroyed a legitimate mechanism for rotation
of power. This mechanism had its drawbacks, however, it functioned.
Actual appointment of the regional leaders created a gigantic
gap between the government and the people, undermined the
legitimacy of the leaders who were not elected by the citizens,
shifted the responsibility for problems and failures in the
regions on the federal center.
Now people are waiting that the federal centre should develop
efficient solutions, but it does not, because formation of
the regional power being cut off from the people has turned
into an arena of concealed clan fighting.
Instead of exercising its legitimate powers, the federal
government "in the best traditions” of the oligarchy
launched and information war against the Mayor of Moscow demonstrating
inability of the "vertical of power" to overcome
the crisis of power in Moscow.
The silence of the [progovernmental] United Russia party
(and Yuri Luzhkov is in the top leadership of this party)
demonstrates the lack of independence of the "party of
power", which obviously can not do or say anything without
a signal from the top.
The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO believes that
the only way out of the deadlock lies in returning of direct
elections.
First of all, this should be done in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
A city mayor should be elected by the citizens - such is the
world practice.
We have repeatedly proposed to return direct elections of
the mayors of Moscow and St. Petersburg, however, our proposals
was always turned down by the United Russia party.
Today, when another Kremlin "bulldog fight under the
carpet" has paralysed the system of power and has been
increasingly demonstrating its inefficiency to the citizens,
we reiterate our offer to consider as soon as possible and
resolve the issue of direct elections of the mayors of Moscow
and St.Petersburg.
The Mayor of Moscow should be elected by muscovites, rather
than be appointed by the “bulldogs from under the carpet”.
Sergei Mitrokhin
Chair of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO
| 