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The Wisdom of Authority
// The Heads of the Regions Have Responded Correctly to Mistreatment
The Government Body
After Monday's historical enlarged session of the RF Government, Kommersant reporter Andrey Kolesnikov watched and made conclusions from the press center of the Administration Headquarters in Moscow.
The forecast for the session was optimistic from the very beginning. Judging by the large-scale preparations for the session and the atmosphere of secretiveness around it, it was clear that we journalists had much intense work ahead of us for the good of the Russian State. Needless to say, we were happy about it.
The journalists who came to the White House watched the enlarged session from the press center. At the last moment, even photographers were denied access to the auditorium. All this showed the careful attitude of the organizers toward the event.
The session was broadcasted on TV. The broadcast began even before the event. At first, we watched the members of the government and the members of presidential administration gather. The people were animated and smiling. Maybe that is why the broadcasting was quickly stopped and then resumed when the president made his entrance.
The President's first words confirmed the bravest assumptions. He talked about how compassion and tears were not enough to help the people of Ossetia. He offered a program for fundamental reconstruction of the system of government authority in the country. The country needs unity. It is not possible to overcome terrorism without it. And that is one thing we do not have. However, according to the president, it is implied in article 77 of the RF Constitution. And the first thing implied by it is that the highest officials of RF subjects must be elected by the Legislative Assemblies of the territories. Until then, let me emphasize, that nothing of the kind had ever been implied by the article.
The corresponding draft of the law will be introduced in the State Duma before the end of the year. This statement had the effect of a bomb exploding, and it about the Constitutional Court ruling forbidding such actions was remembered only much later.
Besides that, the president expressed his appreciation for the courage and decisiveness of Russian citizens in opposing terrorism. “The people demonstrated not only their unity, but an absolute understanding of the situation, showed a high level of civil and personal responsibility. It means very much and, of course, it has a high cost,” the president said.
First of all, it turned out that it costs the abolishment of elections at single-member constituency. A draft establishing a long-awaited proportional system of elections to the State Duma exclusively by party lists will be introduced. The Russians earned this draft with their exemplary behavior during the tragedy.
The citizens of our long-suffering country deserve another bonus. A chamber of commons will be established to provide a platform for dialogue between the authorities and society. It is pleasant to know the authorities realize that currently we have no such platform.
Much was said about the situation in the North Caucuses. It is lamentable, as was mentioned earlier.
“The level of unemployment is many times higher than the average in Russia,” the president said. “And in republics such as Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan, it is massive. Incomes per capita in the Southern Federal District are half the average in the country. And in Ingushetia, for instance, it is four times lower. Practically in all the republics of North Caucasus, infant mortality is extremely high.
To overcome these negative tendencies, a federal commission was formed, headed by the authorized representative of the president in the Southern Federal district. Vladimir Yakovlev is no longer trusted by the president for that position, but rather Dmitry Kozak, chief of staff of the RF government. Yakovlev is to head the restored Nationalities Ministry.
Besides that, an anticrisis system to rule the country was introduced, but it is to be mentioned later.
Everybody was quiet after Putin finished speaking. Then Putin gave the floor to Minister Mikhail Zurabov. As soon as he began speaking, the broadcasting in the press center was turned off.
However, I learned that the president's speech had a big effect on the governor. Some of them, for instance, Mintimer Shaimiev were preparing for their own speeches. They had their speeches texts. They were probably thinking they knew what the president was to speak about. So the speakers put the text straight where they thought they belonged, in the pockets of their jackets, and didn't take them back out again. Somebody in the auditorium sat holding his head in his hand, unembarrassed by the colleagues. I am sure, the rest were only jealous of sincerity of his behavior.
The session was interrupted after an hour and a half. The participants said that they may have to continue it after they talk with journalists. Among those who came up to the journalists were Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov and President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev. These people are usually entrusted to comment on the principle speeches of the president. Obviously, they are considered a worthy couple.
They will not talk nonsense and people will hear the opinion of both the republics and the capital.
“Russia has been challenged,” Shaimiev said shortly. “It demands an adequate response.”
The Tatar president also made another conclusion on the situation. “We must continue to build up, it will be a good response to the terrorists,” he said.
Luzhkov had his conclusions too.
“It's time we stopped being so indifferent,” he said sharply. “Terrorists of any kind first go to the place they are preparing to seize, stay there a certain time, and only after that begin to act. And we so indifferent, did not pay attention at them. How does our system of residence registration work?
Obviously, the mayor decided to ask the public, before it asks him this question.
“We must create a situation of hopelessness,” Luzhkov specially mentioned.
I wanted to object (silently), that it had been created already, but then the mayor explained what kind of hopelessness he meant. Hopelessness for terrorists. And the State Duma could help that. To the question of what he thought about abolishing the elections from local constituencies, he said, “It has no direct relation to fighting terrorism. It is important that the State Duma work and take measures to fight against terrorism. Right now the Duma is able do it, but isn't doing it.”
This way the mayor criticized the president's speech, where it was mentioned that unification of the country was possible only by excluding the deputies from local constituencies.
Both Shaimiev and Luzhkov approved of the changes in the system to appointment governors, which has direct relation to them.
“Recently, the regional head's role has been weakened in a number of regions,” Shaimiev emphasized. “In some regions, those placed in authority are proteges of moneyed interests.”
The Tatar president spoke warmly of the new system, by which governors will be appointed by the president's proposal to the legislative assemblies of the regions. “Such a practice already exists in the world. Even presidents are elected that way sometimes,” he said.
To develop his thesis, he said that the results of work in his republic were evident: it was being built up very actively. And therefore he said to leave well enough alone.
Luzhkov drew a picture of the ideal head of the region. According to him, that is a man who is good at solving economic problems to a greater degree and is a politician to a lesser degree. In other words, he drew a portrait of himself.
By the way, he mentioned with concern, there are cases when the head of the region becomes a talkative, humorous, extravagant person (this time he probably meant Altai Region governor Mikhail Evdokimov.) And, as far as I understand, that was really bad for the region.
At about the same time here at the White House, another press conference was talking place a story higher. There, delegated to comment on Putin's address, were Valentina Matvienko (St. Petersburg,) Sergey Sobyanin (Tyumen Region,) Aleksandr Chernogorov (Stavropol Territory,) Alu Alkhanov (Chechnya,) Sergey Katanandov (Karelia.)
Katanandov, recovering from shock after the session, was able to speak clearly about suggesting all this be done long ago. There was nobody there to undermine Mr. Katanandov's part in the happening.
“Appointment of the governors is the only solution,” he was proving with enthusiasm. “Of course, certain countries in the West will accuse us of having less democracy now. We must realize that all these measures are nothing but the realization of the article 77 of theRF Constitution.”
I got the impression that the session catalyzed many ideas that were dormant in the minds of the regional heads. They had too many unresolved issues accumulated. Luzhkov wants to help raise the Southern Federal district (Moscow constructors are idle). Chernogorov all of a sudden remembered the law “On Cossacks” to fight terrorism. You see, the Cossacks, like Moscow constructors, have great potential to help.
“This session was very much needed, it left no doubts that the authorities were going to act resolutely,” Matvienko insisted.
As an acting (so far) governor she was concerned with concrete issues:
“A policeman is paid 3000 rubles. What kind of security can he provide? These bandits ride in Mercedes 600s and the policemen have old broken cars to ride in. The governor has no levers to influence the Ministry of the Interior. The federal center must be left its federal functions, and passed the securing of public order to the regions. We must also deal with the courts. It is hard to understand whose interests they are protecting – the state's or those who pay them… Also all levels of authority should be cleaned of formations accumulated there for the whole time. Take, for instance the Federation Council…
There she started!
Matvienko frankly said that there was a lot in Putin's speech that she liked. Especially the idea of governors' appointment.
“Those of us,” she said, “who have gone through elections, know what they are worth!”
The acknowledgement was striking in its sincerity.
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The President Has More Suggestions for Fighting Terrorism
From his speech at the enlarged Government meeting:
I believe that, in order to ensure the unity of state power and the consistent development of federalism, the Federation and its subjects must jointly take part in forming executive bodies of power in the territories of Russia. And in connection with this, I believe that the higher regional officials of Russian Federation subjects must be elected by the legislative assemblies of the territories at the proposal of the head of state…
The heads of regions should … have more influence on forming bodies of local self-administration in the formats stipulated by law. Consultations with specialists show that within the framework of the current Constitution there are such possibilities...
And in the interests of strengthening the political system of the country, I believe it is necessary to introduce a proportional system of State Duma elections. I will soon submit a draft law on this for examination by the Parliament…
I support the idea of forming a public chamber as a platform for wide dialogue, where civic initiatives can be presented and discussed in detail. No less importantly, this chamber should become a place for conducting public examinations of key state decisions, and above all of draft laws that concern prospects for the development of the country with national significance…
We should also support citizens' initiatives on organizing voluntary structures for the protection of public order…
A special federal commission on the North Caucasus has been created, which is headed by the Plenipotentiary Presidential envoy to the Southern Federal district. He has been given broad powers to coordinate a number of federal civic ministries and, in certain aspects, law-enforcement authorities. I mean those aspects that primarily concern the economy and the social sphere; he also has several powers in the security sphere for swift response to the threat of terrorist acts. The commission includes the heads of several federal and regional ministries and departments. The main task of this commission is to achieve in the near future appreciable results in improving the living standard in the region…
I also consider it necessary to make changes to the structure of the government and create a ministry responsible for issues of regional and ethnic policy. At the agreement of the Prime Minister, Vladimir Anatolyevich Yakovlev will be appointed as minister…
We need a full system of measures that are adequate to the situation, and which can repel the threat of terror in any form. We also need appropriate anti-crisis plans of action, for the government, for the ministries, the departments, the regions of the Russian Federation and for local authorities…
The law-enforcement structures have been given the necessary orders to intensify anti-terrorist operations, also by increasing the scope of international cooperation in the special services…
In Russia, we need a organizational work and the same system of national security organization that is capable of not only stopping terrorist acts and dealing with their consequences, but also of working on preventing terrorist invasions, diversions and man-made catastrophes organized by terrorists. A system to destroy criminals, so to speak, in their own lair. And if the situation requires it, to get them from abroad. We must uncover terrorist organizations and groups, and the terrorists themselves, cut off their financial channels and create a political and financial vacuum around their emissaries and lobbyists.
I also believe that extremist organizations that hide behind religious, nationalist or other slogans and that essentially breed terror must be prohibited, and their leaders and active members prosecuted in accordance with the law.
It is also necessary to punish harshly crimes of official misconduct, which have extremely serious consequences, even though these crimes may seem insignificant at first glance. To give you an example, I mean issuing passports illegally and documents that are used in terrorist acts with terrible consequences. These crimes should be judged accordingly by the state and the courts. Sanctions should be adequate to the consequences of the crime…
Andrey Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 14, 2004
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