Protest sentiment abating over restructuring in civil society

(Interfax – September 24, 2012) Restructuring in civil society and in the protest movement may give birth to fresh and serious ideas, said Russia’s ex-Finance Minister and Civil Initiative Committee chairman Alexei Kudrin.

“One shouldn’t fear abatement in the [protest] sentiment. I think we are witnessing a restructuring in civil society, including the protest movement, which may give rise to more serious ideas and slogans, stronger influence on power, and fresh reforms,” Kudrin said at a press conference in Tomsk on Monday.

Rallies are not always effective, he said, adding that there are other ways of expressing protest opinions.

“Some of the prominent political activists have been using wrong slogans perhaps. As a result they are losing trust,” Kudrin said.

The protest against parliamentary election frauds seen in December, was a “trigger,” but it conveyed more serious expectations, he said. “Those protests demonstrated a more serious context and expectations of change in the government, within the interior ministry bodies, in social services and in citizens’ involvement in decision-making,” he said.

Kudrin said he had not taken part in the recent protest rallies because he does not support the platform of the Left Front movement, organized by its coordinator Sergei Udaltsov among others.

“I don’t see eye to eye with some of the movement’s leaders,” Kudrin said.