Grigory Yavlinsky: A clue to changing the country is "not to lie and not to steal"

Late on Sunday night, Grigory Yavlinsky appeared in Vladimir Solovyov's programme "Opening of the New Political Season" on TV channel Russia-1.

Solovyov: Grigory Alexeyevich, we have been actively discussing the beginning of the political season here. What is your forecast for this autumn - what issues will be most important, and how the country will look like on the threashold of the heating season?

Yavlinsky: Autumn will be as usual... But speaking about the forecast, it is, unfortunately, not very difficult. What forecast can be given, if it is obvious that laws in the country function very relatively? That court is not independent. That property rights depend on the power and the power and property have merged into one entity.

But more than that, what forecast can be made, if a dramatic decline of culture, political culture and general culture, in the country has become an absolute fact?

And it is reflected, for example, in the structure of [Russia’s] budget. Simply look how much is allotted on education and how much on health care and the development of the country, and how much on other directions... Well, what forecast can you make proceeding from this? Maybe only for the next two months?

These are strategic issues.

Solovyov: Does this mean that you see the coming disaster?

Yavlinsky: I would say it is a disaster, but large hardships are definitely ahead.

What a country can base on? On education, healthcare and culture, in the broad sense of the word, on political culture. Without all this, we will be only discussing wild escapades and absolutely insane decisions. And we will keep on going around in circles like this…

And the country is large, and life on the planet is complex and there are a lot of challenges. But we are wasting time! And is not for sure that going on like this we will be able to make it to the end of this century.

In the 20th century the country approached a similar situation twice.

What happened in 1917? Tzar Nicholas II abdicated, but there was no one who could take up the power! And who seized the power? Terrorists, putting it in modern language, terrorists who established terror for many years to come.

In 1991, the collapse of the state repeated again. And shall we again wait and see that everything will develop according to this [1917] scenario?

And even if we look at it from a technological point of view, look, the authorities are irresponsible. I would say even more – the country’s leadership is irresponsible, because it is uncontrolled. It is as if by itself. Completely by itself!

On the other hand, we have an inept civil society. This means that even technologically we have no way out of our situation.

When we think, why our space vehicles fail to fly into space? Because culture - the engineering, the political and the human culture – has fallen. Therefore, the space vehicles do not fly!

Why can not we make a plane? Why can not we make a car? All for the same reason!

Because we need certain rules that will be obeyed. And these rules should be laws, and this requires a parliament. And we can not create it... I and many people are concerned about this - you all should feel the same. This is really a nation-wide problem.

Politically responsible and financially transparent opposition is certainly one of the elements of a sound country. Let it be divided between the left, nationalists and democrats - let them all compete. Let people determine what they want to see in the country, rather than [al the political forces] should be together, this will be about nothing, like saying ‘let Russia be without someone’ ... But with whom? It is easy to say without whom, however the question who [should lead the country] is open.

Solovyov: The analysis is cruel, but accurate. However, what should be done?

Yavlinsky: If you mean the entire country, than one should not lie or steal, that's all. And what prospects the country can have, if all this only elicits a smile? If there are no lies, then a different political culture will immediately emerge in the country, as well as a different political system. Because all [that we have in the country now] has been based on lies.

Solovyov: There is only one problem. If all people agree that it is necessary not to lie and not to steal, but can not agree on the initial time - who should be the first to stop...

Yavlinsky: Then negotiations will take long. But I think the recipe is clear.

September 10, 2012