“Russian President’s concern about technological level of Russia’s industry is absolutely justified, however, he should realise that economic modernization requires modernization of the whole country, including the society and the political system,” that’s how YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin commented on Dmitry Medvedev’s statement that “modernization of the economy has been taking place only on paper”.
“Development of innovative economy can not take place in the situation of lawlessness and bureaucratic arbitrary rule dominating in the country. [At present] neither business which is currently under bureaucratic pressure, nor inventors and innovators whose intellectual property rights are unprotected, nor academics dreading of security services persecutions are interested in the development of new technologies,” said Mitrokhin.
According to Mitrokhin, Medvedev’s Modernisation Commission alone will not be able to change anything. “The President should formulate a political course marking the vector for Russia’s modernization, rather than creating another bureaucratic structure”, said YABLOKO’s leader. “Such a course should base on European liberties, equality before law and public control over the state. We also would like to hear from the President that economic modernization will not be conducted by means of state violence, i.e. this should take place via separation from Stalinism and other ideologies putting the interests of the state above human rights,” said Mitrokhin.
According to YABLOKO’s leader, such a political choice made by the President and strengthened by definite measures “will give an impulse towards improvement of moral and intellectual climate in the country, revival of creative forces in the society that will be able to lead the economy out of the technological deadlock”.
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