| Participants: Sergey
Ivanenko from the Yabloko party and Vyacheslav Volkov from the Russian
Constitutional Democratic Party. The anchor said that the topic of discussion
would be democracy, constitution and legislation. What should be done to
make Russia abide by the law? The presenter gave studio numbers for listeners
to phone in.
In an opening statement Ivanenko said that his party believes that
"Russia should have a free economy, free and developed civil society.
The second component, the second wheel of the bike, if you like, is justice.
First of all, justice should ensure that all possible rights and freedoms
are guaranteed, starting from common democratic ones to the right to work
and the right for decent remuneration and pension. This is Yabloko's political
programme. We have been standing by these principles for many years,"
Ivanenko said.
Volkov said that his party is a young one: it was founded on 8 December
2002. He recalled the party's prominent predecessors, such as Struve,
Vernadskiy, Nabokov, who founded the first, pre-revolutionary party of
Constitutional Democrats. Volkov said that the current party's programme
has an 80-per cent coincidence with the programme of their precursor.
"Our task is to bring about in society an atmosphere of intolerance
towards violations of the basic law and to inculcate constitutional views
and teach citizens to respect the law," Volkov said.
A listener called about mandatory car insurance. Ivanenko said his
faction voted against this law. Another listener asked Ivanenko why his
faction was against tax benefits for the disabled. Ivanenko clarified
the faction's position which is to help individuals directly rather than
organizations.
Volkov said that human rights were inseparable from human duties. He
said that his party shared Yabloko's stand on Chechnya - the state would
be held responsible for this. Answering another listener, Ivanenko said
his party was against the use of psychotropic weapons or torture.
Volkov believes that "all developments regarding medium and small
business deserve the most serious condemnation. The arbitrariness shown
by bureaucrats to the opening of new enterprises and promotion of a citizens'
initiative is so obvious that citizens have to appeal to all bodies, including
our party, to get support. I see a grassroots initiative as the only thing
that can save the economy."
Both speakers answered a listener's question about the refunding of
people's savings. Ivanenko said it depended on the country's economic
success. Volkov agreed with Ivanenko.
Both speakers agreed that politicians may go to church if they want,
and if they are shown on television it's not religious propaganda in any
way. Ivanenko believed that small business should be covered by special
legislation. The presenter asked them whether there were any differences
between the parties they represent. Volkov said that he didn't feel any
substantial differences with Yabloko, a party he likes. Ivanenko said
that people should be more alert to what the parties actually do rather
than listen to their promises.
Ivanenko said Russian laws, however good they may be, are not being
observed. Volkov believes that legislation needs changing to promote better
people to the posts of regional leaders. Ivanenko made proposals on this
subject. Volkov thinks a government should be made up of professionals
rather than the parliamentary majority. Ivanenko, on the contrary, thinks
that a political government should be introduced gradually. The parties
that made it to the parliament should be entitled to form government,
Ivanenko said.
See also:
State Duma elections
2003
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