Pushkov says liberal media fighting with State Duma, Kremlin over power

MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) – Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, believes the liberal media have assumed the role of the right-wing opposition.

“The right-wing opposition is now extremely weak. The liberal media have assumed its role. Their attacks on the State Duma and the Kremlin are not just episodes, but a tough fight for power,” Pushkov said on Twitter on Monday.

Pavel Gusev, chairman of the Public Chamber committee on freedom of speech and the mass media and chief editor of Moskovsky Komsomolets, disagreed with Pushkov. “Unfortunately, this talented journalist, who is now a politician, has no logic. I can officially say that I have no intention of fighting with anyone for power under any circumstances. I’m 64,” Gusev told Interfax on Monday.

On Tuesday, the State Duma issued a statement On the Inadmissibility of Abuse of the Right to Freedom of Speech by the Mass Media.

Members of the United Russia and Liberal Democratic Party factions of the State Duma have asked the prosecutor general, the Interior Ministry, and the head of the Federal Tax Service to conduct an audit of ZAO Editorial Board of Moskovsky Komsomolets.

These events allegedly followed a conflict with Moskovsky Komsomolets over an article on several female members of the United Russia faction of the State Duma, which many parliamentarians found to be insulting. Moskovsky Komsomolets Chief Editor Pavel Gusev said he will not apologize for the publication without an appropriate court ruling.