Keep Russia Civilised

EU Reporter

‘Political repressions are becoming massive’, – Russian opposition politician Garry Kasparov told EU Reporter. – ‘After Putins’ inauguration the authorities are on the offensive, because the legitimacy of Putin is questioned by the overwhelming majority of people, especially in big cities. It became obvious that the wave of protests is not going down – the temperature is high and the society is boiling. As a response the authorities try to behead the protest movement’.

Within the group of opposition politicians Kasparov had found a hideaway in Tallinn ‘to be sure that there is no unwelcome interventions’ and the group can discuss the strategies for autumn without unpleasant surprises.

Kasparov knows what he is talking about, because just a few days before he had been seized was by Russian forces without any reason on his way to the court hearing of the political feminist group ‘Pussy Riot’.

‘The authorities have chosen to frighten the opposition politicians and politically active citizens in general, using the most primitive methods’, – continues Kasparov. – ‘They signal that any citizen, even the one just participating in a peaceful demonstration can become a victim of the police brutality’.

The situation has aggravated in recent weeks because criminal procedures have been launched against the well-known opposition figures Alexey Navalny and Boris Nemtzov. Charges against Garry Kasparov were not dropped, although his unlawful arrest is well documented, filmed and transmitted through internet.

However the stripping of the mandate from left-wing politician Gennady Goudkov planned at Duma’s fall session on the 12th of September is considered as the most outrageous case of the moment. Goudkov as a vocal critic of Kremlin and one of the leading figures of his party ‘Just Russia’ (‘Spravedlivaya Rossia’) openly demanded Putin to step down; – clearly his call was heard in Kremlin.

‘No doubt Goudkov would be stripped from his immunity to become a subject of criminal investigation’, – says Kasparov. – ‘The authorities don’t bother to hide their intentions. Only by joint efforts applying pressure one can try to change the situation for better’.

Nevertheless Kasparov doesn’t think that Putin and his nearest circle have a capability to change and react adequately. ‘It is not about him, but about the considerable numbers of executives, because the discomfort in the society grows and Putin prepares himself for life under the siege’.

In preparation of this new life Putin draws a new legislation to the whole class of Russian bureaucracy to put a ban on property and assets abroad – the perspective of the measure has provoked a palpable discontent already.

‘Of course it is not realistic’- continues Kasparov. – ‘But Putin is anticipating a ‘Magnitsky law’. The situation becomes really tight, because the bureaucracy is one of the major pillars of his power next to the army, but nevertheless he has to choose between letting the opposition to grow and democratic change happen, or going into a siege and taking away all the possible instruments of influence from the hands of the West.

‘Magnitsky Law in the US and EU is the key element now’, – reflects Kasparov. – ‘The discontent in Russian elite grows. It would be impossible to carry on anti-Western propaganda meanwhile hiding stolen money there. We estimate that the regime entered the agony phase. But it is a dinosaur with a huge body and a little head and we have to minimize the damages of its collapse’.

The special responsibility rests on the decision-makers in the West, believes Kasparov. It doesn’t’ make sense to
pretend that the problem doesn’t exist. ‘The collapse can be atrocious with geopolitical consequences we have to prevent’ – warns Kasparov. ‘At the moment there are appearing contours of the alternative that will be able to keep Russia as a part of civilized world. The executives of criminal orders of Putin should be aware that they are observed. Our common interest with the West is to stop political repressions taking full-fledged scale’.

At eve of the EU-Russia parliamentary committee meeting in Saint-Petersburg (30-31 August), MEP Kristina
Ojuland (ALDE), rapporteur on Russia, expressed her concerns about alleged purges in the Duma.

Stripping of the immunity and according to his opponents on 12 of September during Duma’s fall session should
change the attitude of European socialist family towards Kremlin, – says Ojuland. There can’t be business as usual with Russia when the fundamental principal of parliamentary democracy is under attack.

‘The stripping of immunity from a deputy creates a dangerous precedent that requires immediate reaction from the whole political spectrum’, – said Ojuland – ‘because it concerns democratic values that can’t be compromised’.

During the meeting of the working group the major issue for discussion is the civil society, but taken the serious turn of the situation in Duma about Mr.Goudkov’s immunity and mandate, his case will take the most observant consideration of the EU delegates during the meeting in Petersburg.

‘In case the allegations coming true we have to switch on emergency procedure to include the issue in the debate in Strasbourg’, – concluded Ojuland. – ‘They are paramount issues that one can’t keep a blind eye on. The mandate of the deputy is given by Russian people; it is not up to political opponents to take it away’. займ на карту без отказов круглосуточно займ на карту без отказов круглосуточно https://zp-pdl.com/online-payday-loans-cash-advances.php https://zp-pdl.com/online-payday-loans-in-america.php микрозаймы онлайн