| Today the Duma will consider a vote of no confidence
in the government, moved by the Communist Party and Yabloko factions.
Yesterday the Duma council finally set the schedule: the vote will
be at 5 p.m., so only an hour is available. However, even if the
debate takes longer, the vote of no confidence will not pass. As
leader of the Russian Regions group Oleg Morozov explained, "The
vote of no confidence is nothing but an election move, a farce to
which the response is another farce."
Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov stated yesterday that the
council deliberately scheduled the debate late in the day, hoping
that there would be no discussion at all. "They are afraid
to discuss a government dismissal and want to sabotage the meeting,
whereas they ought to devote the whole day to the debate."
Besides, the communist leader added that the communists and Yabloko
members did not intend to minimize the discussion.
As the Duma regulations stipulate automatic extension of the
meeting until an issue has been debated, the communists and Yabloko
may have some additional time for the discussion.
Duma member Reshulsky says: "Off the record, 60-70% of
Duma members support the dismissal of the government. However,
they say that they will not support us while voting, as it does
not depend on them."
Conserquently it may transpire that the Communists and Yabloko
are not the only ones ready to criticize the government without
supporting the vote of no confidence. In particular, Morozov expressed
his intention to criticize the work of the government - he does
not rule out the possibility that some centrists will follow his
example.
The initiators of the vote doubt they will be successful, but
still hope for some miracle. As Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky
stressed, "The result of the vote will depend only on what
the president decides: if the head of state instructs the centrist
factions to vote for the vote of no confidence - the government
will be dismissed; however, centrist factions will not vote for
this measure without first obtaining his permission."
At the same time, a source in the centrist coalition claimed
that currently head of the state was clearly disinterested in
dismissing the government, "If the Duma passes the vote of
no confidence, in autumn it will be necessary to repeat the vote.
At this time the Duma is to discuss the 2004 budget and the impending
elections. In this situation the president should either dismiss
the Duma and preserve the government or to dismiss the government
and the budget will not be passed. It is a political absurdity."
The right wing is also convinced that most Duma deputies will
not support the action of the communists and Yabloko. Deputy chairman
of the Union of Right Forces Boris Nadezhdin said yesterday that
at "at least three of the six charges - on the inability
of the government to guarantee the security of the country carry
out military and administrative reforms - are addressed wrongly
- the cabinet of ministers is not responsible for resolving these
issues."
According to the deputy, an indirect confirmation of the lack
of prospects for the vote is that Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov
will not attend the discussion of the issue, as he is attending
the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. The government’s
permanent representative in the Duma Andrei Loginov will attend
the discussion - however, he does not have to respond to questions
or accusations from deputies.
See also:
No-Confidence
Vote
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