| The Soldiers' Mothers Committee, Yabloko, the Union of
Rightist Forces, and
Free Choice-2008 Committee are seeking to call a referendum on replacing
the
draft with a professional, all-volunteer army, "Novye izvestiya"
reported on
17 September. The drive was prompted by a Defense Ministry proposal to
limit
military-draft deferments, since demographic trends are reducing the number
of draft-age men in Russia (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 20 July 2004).
A recent
survey by the Levada Analytical Center found 72 percent in favor of a
professional army and just 23 percent for preserving the draft. However,
a
new federal constitutional law on referendums, approved by the parliament
this summer, puts huge obstacles before groups wishing to call a referendum,
"Novye izvestiya" noted. Among other things, advocates must collect
at least
2 million signatures, with no more than 50,000 signatures from any single
Russian region, using only registered signature collectors of whom there
can
be at most 100 in any region. The Central Election Commission, Supreme
Court, and Constitutional Court must all approve the wording of the
referendum question. Soldiers' Mothers Committee Chairwoman Valentina
Melnikova told "Novye izvestiya" that if they fail to get the
referendum on
the ballot, they will challenge the law on referendums in the Constitutional
Court.
See also:
The
Russian Army
|
|
Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty, September 20, 2004
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