03.04.09

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has met with parliamentary opposition leaders. He proposed that the opposition should depoliticize the anti-crisis plan debates in the Duma and the Federation Council. In return, the government is prepared to listen to the opposition's point of view.

As the Duma prepares to debate the government's new anti- crisis plan and amendments to the federal budget for 2009, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has held a meeting with the leaders of opposition parties represented in parliament. Putin proposed that the opposition should depoliticize the anti-crisis plan debates in the Duma and the Federation Council. In return, according to Putin, the government is prepared to listen to the opposition's point of view and even make some adjustments to the plan, if proposed changes "are conducive to resolving the difficult tasks our country faces."

Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov said after the meeting that Just Russia's Duma faction is aiming for a critical analysis of the anti-crisis plan and the amended budget. According to Mironov, Just Russia's support for these bills depends on the extent to which they uphold social policy priorities: he proposes cutting utilities rates, limiting housing and communal services charges to 10% of a family's income, and providing state aid for the construction sector. A spokesman for Mironov said that Just Russia probably won't vote in favor of the government's proposed budget amendments.

The Communist Party (CPRF) faction is even more categorically opposed. CPRF Central Committee member Vadim Soloviev told us that the CPRF will not only vote against the amended budget, but also intends to call for the dismissal of economic bloc ministers on April 6, when Putin delivers his report to the Duma. A Central Committee meeting on March 28 resolved to organize nationwide protests calling for the government's resignation. At the meeting with Putin, CPRF leader Gennadi Zyuganov asked him to ensure that state aid reaches the real sector of the economy, rather than being sent abroad.

LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky says that the government hasn't made any major errors since the crisis started - but the LDPR faction's voting decision will depend on the explanations provided in the government's report as to whether it was justified to invest national reserves in foreign currency and foreign securities rather than domestic industry.

Political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko says that the authorities are trying to boost the legitimacy of their actions during the crisis by seeking the opposition's support, while partially sharing responsibility with the opposition; this is the purpose of having a broad debate about the government's anti-crisis plan, and the appointment of some opposition politicians as regional leaders.

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Source: Vedomosti