| In his interview ex Vice Premier speaks about
dismissal of the Moscow Mayor and proposes to conduct real
reforms
He was a Vice-Premier for economic reforms in the late 1980s
and beginning of 1990s. Later Grigory Yavlinsky as a liberal
opposition leader twice ran for president at elections and
also led the opposition party Yabloko. At the invitation of
the Liberal Forum he visited in Vienna.
KURIER: What does the dismissal of Yuri Luzhkov mean for
the balance of power between Medvedev and Putin?
Grigory Yavlinsky: I think they have found a mutually acceptable
solution. The most important thing is: there are no elections
any more. Luzhkov is, sorry, already was the mayor of a big
city. And there should have been elections. However, a bureaucrat
will be appointed on this post. Now this has become an internal
matter of the ruling elite, not even of the party.
KURIER: How would you describe Luzhkov?
Grigory Yavlinsky: He had different periods during his term
of office. In some period a more democratic approach was important
for him, as in 1991. He was also authoritarian. But he enjoyed
public support. And he was an elected politician. From a democratic
point of view this is the key point.
KURIER: Does the present leadership [of the country] have
such support?
Grigory Yavlinsky: They have. But they want to be the only
ones who have the support.
KURIER: Medvedev and Putin do not look united.
Grigory Yavlinsky: I see no substantial conflicts between
them. Medvedev implemented the same policies as Putin, he
only worded this differently. Only Medvedev speaks about modernisation,
and Putin about growth.
KURIER: But it is difficult not to accept this.
Grigory Yavlinsky: Because average income has increased by
four times in eight years. I would like to see if the Austrians
were not also satisfied with their government in such a situation.
Whatever government it would be.
KURIER: Does this result from a successful economic policy?
Grigory Yavlinsky: No. Only the oil prices were successful.
The Russian economy resembles a drug addict: with a pipeline
pushing gas into his left arm and an oil pipeline running
to his right arm. This results in economic hallucinations.
KURIER: Will you compete in the presidential election?
Grigory Yavlinsky: We'll see. I tried it twice. In 1996 and
2000, however, these were not free elections. But these were
nevertheless elections. It was like a football game. I had
a gate that was 100 meters wide and a team of five players.
Yeltsin had a gate one meter wide and a team of 15 players.
Since 2004, there have been no playing field and arbitrators
anymore. Only a scoreboard and the score: 100:1
KURIER: You have always supported the way of conducting reforms
through cooperation. Is a dialogue with the Kremlin possible?
Grigory Yavlinsky: A dialogue is necessary, but the present
leadership is not interested in it. I would say that there
was no such a thing even under Yeltsin. This requires solutions
that are available on a broad basis. Development is a process.
And a dialogue will not work when there is no feedback.
KURIER: Medvedev presents himself as a reformer and an advocate
of modernisation. Is it really so?
Grigory Yavlinsky: He talks a lot about it. But modernisation
implies a reform of property rights. It needs an independent
judiciary and division of powers; a real parliament; elections,
which will bring about such a result that the Parliament will
begin reflecting the society. Everything else is idle talk.
See also:
the
original
Modernisation
in Russia
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