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Speech in the State Duma
by the First Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction Sergei Ivanenko
during the discussion of the draft resolution of the Duma
“On No-Confidence Vote to the Government”

Moscow, the State Duma, March 14, 2001

Respected Chairman and respected colleagues,

The Yabloko faction considers the present discussion of a no-confidence vote in the government senseless and the political crisis created by the Kremlin’s political technologists jointly with the CPRF and the “Unity” akin to an operetta.

In the present circumstances a change of the government through a vote in an absolutely manageable Duma, controlled by the President, cannot lead to the creation of a politically significant government in Russia.

In the present politics of our country, the term government has approximately the same meaning as under Leonid Brezhnev’s rule. And a change of government has approximately the same meaning.

It is clear to everyone that the initiators, who proposed absolutely absurd and obscure grounds for the no-confidence motion, would in actual fact like to resolve the internal problems of their parties and react to the pressure of party masses dissatisfied with the actions of the leadership of the party which has become “bourgeois” from their point of view.

Another thing is considerably more serious. The shifts demonstrated by the pro-governmental and pro-presidential factions in the Duma are considerably more serious. We think that the true reason for the present pseudo-crisis can be found in the Kremlin’s facade of self-confidence and the pseudo-successes of the past year, which underline colossal uncertainty, colossal instability and colossal lack of self-confidence. This is the main reason why the small and medium-scale adventure-seeking PR people from behind the Kremlin walls have a decisive word in politics. The dependence here is obvious.

After establishing the State Duma after the elections of 1999 in the conditions of military hysteria from accidental and rapidly created electoral blocs, the Kremlin concluded a strategic union with the communists in the Duma, giving them the posts of Chairman and most of the key committees. Today it is obvious to everyone that the efficiency of such a Duma is zero. Both the lack of experience and political competence and absolutely puppet-show like nature of the Duma majority made it easy to create the present pseudo-crisis.

We think that the Russian top authorities continues, even more intensively as before, a course of primitivising and humiliating the whole of Russian politics. The authorities, convinced that there is unlimited potential for manipulating the people, make the people form a steady aversion towards any politicians - and a justified feeling of aversion – leading to an intensive active reluctance to take part in politics. This is the main danger of the show that we all have created.

A small group of people holding full command over almost all the mass media, pushing the citizens away from politics, and squeezing out any professionals, capable and simply honest people, are trying to monopolise the right to determine Russia’s domestic policies for personal profit and conceit. This is the course towards the creation of a corporate police state.

Yabloko declares our strong opposition to this course. We can perceive the true situation and see the instability of the authority and will therefore under no circumstances participate in the elections, whenever and on whatever conditions they may take place. We will explain to our electorate the baneful nature of this course and we willl fight for our electorate.

Regarding our attitude to the government, it is defined not by these intrigues and political games, but instead by the real actions of the Cabinet.

We demand that the government supports the following decisions:

First, initiate already this year, through additional budget revenues, the transition to a contract-based army, double the remuneration to the military on a contract basis and reduce army conscription.

Second, make amendments to the Code on Criminal Proceedings and the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office: an arrest should only be performed on a court decision, the accused should have the right to barrister’s help from the moment of his arrest, as well as other civilised norms.

Third, make amendments to investment legislation (in particular, the laws on Production-Sharing Agreements) encouraging the inflow of investments into Russia’s economy.

Fourth, urgently take measures to support small and medium-sized business, protect it from the bureaucrats’ arbitrary rule, simplify registration of enterprises and reduce taxes.

Fifth, consolidate the revenue base of local budgets.

And, finally, sixth, stop arbitrary measures against the independent mass media, in particular independent television company NTV.

Today the debate about the Cabinet’s performance has been replaced totally completely replaced by back-and-white game and intrigues. That is why once again we call on the deputies of the Duma not to participate in this farce.

Thank you for your attention.

See also:

Sergei V. Ivanenko

Russian Duma Rejects Government No-Confidence Motion
By Ron Popeski, Reuters, March 14, 2001

Putin Faces Cabinet Upheaval
St Petersburg Times, #650, Tuesday, March 6, 2001

Declaration on attitude to the Government of Mikhail Kasyanov
The Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, The State Duma of the Russian Federation, The Yabloko faction, February 20, 2001

Moscow, the State Duma, March 14, 2001

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