Putin announced the principle of forming the government in keeping with parliamentary election results, Yavlinsky recalled. This is a key provision of the address, he said.

Although "the underlying principles for implementing this provision remain unclear, the announcement of such a provision is key", he said. "The current government will fail to carry out (the goals set in the message) in 10 or even 20 years," he said.

Fatherland-All Russia faction leader Vyacheslav Volodin backed the new principle of forming the government. "In the long run, it will make Russia a strong state, which is what the president has called for," Volodin pointed out.

Communist Party leader Gennadi Zyuganov noted that "the president's first message sounded like a state address, the second one was mediocre and the third one was a pure liberal mix. Today, an attempt was made to return the topic of state patriotism."

Reality differs sharply from the President's address in a negative way, Zyuganov added.

Putin "did not mention his approach to a government that is clearly failing to cope with its objectives. There is no reliable system of governance. Although judicial reform has been praised, the entire judicial system is corrupt to the utmost," he said.

"The weakest point of the address is the absence of remarks on eradicating corruption and banditry, which have choked" Russia, he said.

"Either a presidential republic must be set up, where the president heads the government and is responsible for everything, or a government from the State Duma majority must be established which, together with the State Duma, would be accountable for developments in the country," he added.

Interfax, May 16, 2003