Category: Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

EVENT: Last Call for RSVPs: Generation Next: Emerging Civic Leaders in Russia Today [Washington, D.C., Wednesday, June 26, 2013, nearly full]

Events, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Woodrow Wilson Center Facade file photo

Date:  Mon, 24 Jun 2013 Kennan Institute <kennan@WILSONCENTER.ORG> Subject: Kennan Institute – Last Call for RSVPs Kennan Institute/Wilson Center Last Call for RSVPs Our June 26 half-day conference cosponsored with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Generation Next: Emerging Civic Leaders in Russia Today, is almost full. If you wish to attend, make sure to respond today so we can accomodate […]

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Poet and Free-Market Liberal Ulyukayev Takes Over as Economy Minister

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Ulyukayev file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – June 25, 2013) The newly appointed Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said Monday that his main task was to prevent a recession, while Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the government expected a 400 billion ruble ($12 billion) budget deficit in 2014. Ulyukayev, who served as first deputy chairman of the Central Bank […]

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Rights group left with crushed computer after eviction from Moscow office – head

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – MOSCOW. June 24, 2013) Police and private security guards crushed a computer in evicting Russia’s For Human Rights group from its Moscow headquarters early on Saturday, according to the organization’s leader. For Human Rights, one of Russia’s oldest and largest rights groups, was thrown out of its office in the city center in a predawn raid because of […]

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The End of the Consensual Hallucination

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – June 24, 2013) A lot of things that people say never happened before suddenly seem to be happening. When news agencies incorrectly reported — based on a forged government press release — that President Vladimir Putin had sacked his longtime ally, Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin last week, some analysts called the incident […]

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Billionaire to Pay Lease for Evicted Human Rights Group

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Mikhail Prokohrov file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 25, 2013) ­ Russian billionaire-turned-politician Mikhail Prokhorov, who leads the Civil Platform party, will donate 1.5 million rubles ($45,870) to pay the annual rent for a Russian human rights group evicted from its office last weekend, a party member said on Tuesday. Prokhorov made his pledge at a meeting with Lev Ponomaryov, leader of the […]

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Yukos Report Authors to Face Questioning

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, YUKOS, Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Khodorkovsky file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – June 25, 2013) Two of the co-authors of the expert report into the second Yukos case have been asked to attend interviews by the Investigative Committee, a news report said Tuesday. Lawyer Mikhail Subbotin told Kommersant that he would attend an interview Wednesday, while earlier this week it was reported that former Constitutional Court Judge […]

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Russian ministry proposes balancing budget in 2014-2016 by cutting transfers, spending

Budget, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Anton Siluanov file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 25, 2013) Russia’s Finance Ministry is proposing three maneuvers to balance the federal budget in 2014-2016 – reduce transfers to the Pension Fund of Russia (PFR), cut budget earmarks for government procurements and postpone some spending on the government arms program until after 2016, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters on Monday. “Right now the situation […]

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Draft amnesty applies to first time offenders – Kremlin

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 25, 2013) The economic amnesty will apply to persons first indicted or convicted of economic crimes. They will be released from custody and their criminal cases probed by investigative authorities and courts will be closed. The rule is established by draft resolutions of the State Duma on the economic amnesty and regulations for the fulfillment of […]

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Russia’s Liberals Share Blame for Survival of Moscow’s Imperialist Impulses, Rodionov Says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Map of Russia

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, June 24, 2013) Russia’s liberals played a key role in pushing through the economic reforms which made a return to communism impossible, but they failed to help the country to make the transition from an empire to a nation and thus must bear part of the blame for continuing strength of Moscow’s […]

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No major changes in 2014-16 privatization plan – property agency

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Empty Boardroom

(Interfax – ST. PETERSBURG, June 22, 2013) The privatization plan for 2014-2016 is actually just an updated plan from 2011-2013, the head of Russia’s Federal Property Agency (Rosimushchestvo) Olga Dergunova said at a Saturday briefing during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). “Essentially, the privatization plan for 2014-2016 is an updated 2011-2013 plan. There were no significant changes, with […]

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Finance Minister Says Ruble Devalution Not on Agenda

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – June 24, 2013) Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that there are no plans to devalue the ruble, despite claims he made last Tuesday that a weaker currency could boost revenues and growth. “Devaluation will not be carried out in Russia under any circumstances,” Siluanov said Sunday during an interview with Central Television NTV, adding that […]

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Amnesty Plan Could See Thousands Freed

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – June 24, 2013) Thousands of jailed businessmen are expected to be freed this summer as part of the amnesty plan approved by President Vladimir Putin and set for review by the State Duma by mid-July. The plan, one of business ombudsman Boris Titov’s first and most important initiatives, was met with great […]

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Economic policy aims under Ulyukayev unchanged, means of achieving them could alter – experts

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Ulyukayev file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 24, 2013) The appointment of Alexei Ulyukayev as new Russian economic development minister will not alter the fundamental objectives of economic policy, but could alter the tactics by which those aims are achieved, experts told Interfax. Do jobs change people? Ulyukayev’s appointment in place of Andrei Belousov will not result in major changes in economic policy, […]

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[Yeltsin and Parliament: 1993 Crisis] re: Adomanis/1993

History, Soviet Union, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Parliament Building Billowing Smoke in 1993

From: Stephen F. Cohen <sfc1@nyu.edu> Subject: re Adomanis/1993 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 In his important revisiting of Yeltsin’s violent destruction of Russia’s elected parliament, and indeed its entire constitutional order, in October 1993, Mark Adomanis (JRL #113, 2013) endorses my longstanding argument that the country’s de-democratization began not with Putin but with that horrific event. I am grateful for […]

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Rights Commissioner Lukin: Eviction of human rights NGO from office unlawful

Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Lukin file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 22, 2013) Russian Human Rights Commissioner Vladimir Lukin described as arbitrary the eviction of the organization For Human Rights from its office in Maly Kislovsky Street in Moscow by city law enforcement agencies early on Saturday. “We will discuss with lawyers how to react to what happened,” Lukin told Interfax on Saturday. “Moscow authorities and police […]

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Putin’s Initiative to Merge Courts Faces Scrutiny

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of YUKOS trial judge and courtroom staff

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – June 24, 2013) President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of his initiative to combine the Supreme Court and the Supreme Arbitration Court into a single body has been met with suspicion that such a move would deepen current problems within the judicial system. “In order to introduce unified judicial procedures for individuals, organizations, state […]

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Kremlin not increasing pressure on government – deputy premier

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Igor Shuvalov file photo

(Interfax – June 21, 2013) The Kremlin is not increasing pressure on the Russian government; President Vladimir Putin is simply changing the principles governing the work of the executive authorities, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has said. Shuvalov was speaking in an interview to internet and satellite broadcaster Dozhd TV on 21 June on the sidelines of the St Petersburg […]

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Majority of Russians happy with what they’ve got, poll says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia

(Interfax – June 21, 2013) A total of 76 per cent of Russians say they are happy about the life they lead at present, while a mere 8 per cent complain “they still cannot adapt themselves to the current state of affairs”, private-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 19 June, quoting the latest Levada Centre opinion poll. The poll […]

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Ivanov confirms Putin slammed 2012 decree enforcement plans

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

(Interfax – ST. PETERSBURG, June 21, 2013) President Vladimir Putin harshly criticized the Cabinet’s road maps to the implementation of his decrees of May 7, 2012, but “has repeatedly made quite high assessments” of the Cabinet’s overall performance, said the president’s chief of staff. “The president has repeatedly made quite high assessments of the performance of the government. He criticized […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] St Petersburg International Economic Forum plenary session

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Kremlin.ru – St. Petersburg – June 21, 2013) Vladimir Putin and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel took part in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum’s plenary session. In his address to the plenary session, Mr Putin outlined the global economy’s main problems today, looked at the issues on the G20 agenda under the Russian presidency, and noted Russia’s efforts […]

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Business Climate Hindering Far East Investment

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Far East, Siberia, APEC, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of People Working on Car Amidst Siberian Woodlands and Meadows

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – St. PETERSBURG­, June 21, 2013) The government’s initiative to attract 25 billion rubles ($781 million) of investment to the Far East by 2025 will fail if the business climate for private investors does not improve, businessmen and state officials said Thursday at a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum dedicated […]

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Opposition Lawmakers Slam WTO Effect

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
WTO Logo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – June 21, 2013) Opposition lawmakers and businessmen said at a panel Thursday that Russia had lost billions of dollars due to cuts in import tariffs after its accession to the World Trade Organization. The panel was attended by groups lobbying the interests of the engineering, agriculture and clothing industries but was ignored […]

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Long List of Suspects in Yakunin Hoax

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova and Alexander Panin – June 21, 2013) Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin on Thursday attributed rumors of his voluntary resignation to a fight for control over large-scale projects of his company. But experts said Yakunin may have angered regional authorities by receiving huge subsidies for his agency and failing to significantly improve railway […]

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Law on foreign agents is not repressive – Naryshkin

Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Duma Building

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 20, 2013) Russian State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin believes it is important that society should understand that the legislation on NGOs is not restrictive in nature and the state is interested in increasing the number of NGOs and their unimpeded work. “As for NGOs, it is, of course, important that society should understand that the law […]

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Taking Stock of Putin’s Promises at Last Forum

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – June 21, 2013) Vladimir Putin took the stage to speak at last year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum as president for a third time, having been inaugurated a month before, but facing perhaps the fiercest political opposition in his 12 years as Russia’s top leader. Despite the ongoing street protests, Putin focused […]

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Putin submits business amnesty, drops liberal bombshell in St. Petersburg

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Empty Boardroom

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Artem Zagorodnov, RBTH – June 21, 2013) Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined several radically liberal economic reforms. In a move equally symbolic and practically important, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a much-touted amnesty for businesspeople had been approved by his office and will be […]

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Progressive income tax scale in Russia feasible from 2018 – Shuvalov

Budget, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Igor Shuvalov file photo

(Interfax -ST. PETERSBURG, June 20, 2013) It would be feasible to introduce a progressive income tax scale in Russia in 2018, when the current political cycle ends, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov told reporters on the sidelines of the St Petersburg Economic Forum. “It would probably make sense to make the transition to different taxation for personal income from […]

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Long-Lost Soviet Holocaust Films Under New Spotlight

History, Soviet Union, Human Rights, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Nazi Concentration Camp - adapted from image at army.mil

(RIA Novosti – Maria Young – WASHINGTON, June 19, 2013) ­ Nearly a dozen long-lost, rarely seen Soviet films and scores of screenplays that were never produced about the persecution of Jews during World War II have been revived to offer decades-old evidence of a side of the Holocaust few people recognize today. From the dusty archives of Moscow and […]

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Russian Security Services Hunt Culprits in Railroad CEO Hoax

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Spies, Spy Allegations
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 20, 2013) ­ The hunt is on to find those behind hoax claims that the CEO of Russia’s railroad monopoly had been dismissed, which caused a flurry of confusion in the Russian media. On Wednesday evening, Russian news outlets received a press statement saying that Vladimir Yakunin had been dismissed as head of Russian Railways […]

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Navalny’s Game

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Navalny file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – June 19, 2013) [Video here: rferl.org/content/navalny-game-russia-opposition-moscow-trial/25022010.html] Aleksei Navalny may be on the ropes, but at the same time he’s also on something of a roll. The on-the-ropes part was in full display in Kirov on June 18 when Judge Sergei Blinov flat-out refused to allow Navalny to call any defense witnesses in his […]

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Russians’ Lack of Trust Explains Their Xenophobia and Support for Top Leaders, Moscow Sociologist Says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Migrant Workers file photo

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, June 19, 2013) Strikingly low levels of inter-personal trust among Russians, the result of the experiences of Soviet times, explain both their xenophobic reactions to immigrants and their high rates of support for Russian leaders because “distrust in institutions is transformed into trust in the president and prime minister,” according to a […]

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Nomination of Audit Chamber Head Delayed, Kudrin Among Candidates

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Kudrin file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Guennadi Moukine – June 20, 2013) The State Duma has approved a list of people nominated by political parties for auditor positions at the Audit Chamber but postponed nomination of the head until later in the year, Vedomosti reported Thursday. There were reports that former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin may be one of the nominees, […]

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More and more Russians are unhappy about environmental situation in Russia – VTsIOM

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Smokestacking Spewing Cloud of Discharge

(Interfax – VILLAGE OF LISTVYANKA, Irkutsk region, June 19, 2013) The number of people who criticize the environmental situation in their localities increased in the past eight years, Konstantin Abramov, deputy general director of the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), said. During a meeting between Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and representatives of the export community on environmental issues, […]

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Investors Follow Putin to St. Pete

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Moscow TImes – themoscowtimes.com – Anatoly Medetsky – June 20, 2013) St. Petersburg is drawing scores of business leaders to a forum where they are hoping to get the latest tips on the course that the government and major companies might take. Opening Thursday at the exhibition center LenExpo, the three-day event will host President Vladimir Putin for a keynote […]

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Rainbow Russia

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(opendemocracy.net – Sergey Khazov – June 18, 2013) Sergey Khazov is a New Times journalist and a writer based in Moscow. What is life like for gay men and women in Russia? Sergey Khazov looks at the country’s gay infrastructure, and discovers a very fragmented picture. Until a couple of years ago homosexuality was, if not a forbidden topic (it […]

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Russia’s Youth Population ‘In Steady Decline’ – Official

Children, Adoptions, Orphans, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Population Disaster, Demographics
File Photo of Russian Orphans with Mr. and Mrs. Dmitry Medvedev

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 18, 2013) Russia has seen both the number of young people in the country and their share in the total population decline steadily in recent years, an Education Ministry official said on Tuesday. “According to the Federal State Statistics Service, in 2012 there were 31.6 million people in the 15-29 age group ­ making up […]

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Interfax: Russia can liquidate ‘foreign agent’ NGOs but cannot force them to register

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – Moscow, June 18, 2013) Russian Justice Minister Aleksandr Konovalov has not ruled out that the register of non-commercial organizations – (serving as) “foreign agents” will never contain a single entry because there is no legal mechanism to forcibly register NGOs as such. “In accordance with the law, there is a chance that the list of these foreign agents […]

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Russian Court Refuses To Hear Defence Witnesses In Navalnyy’s Embezzlement Trial

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Being Grabbed by Police at Protest

(RIA Novosti – Kirov, June 18, 2013) Judge Sergey Blinov refused on Tuesday (18 June) the request of the defence that 13 witnesses, including an auditor and several experts, be summoned to court in at the Kirovles (Kirov Timber) trial, a RIA Novosti correspondent has reported from Kirov’s Leninskiy court. On Monday, defence lawyer Svetlana Davydova submitted a request for […]

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RIA Novosti: Russian Opposition Figure Charged with Plotting Mass Riots

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Leonid Razvozzhayev file photo with hand to ear, as if holding cellphone

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 19, 2013) Russian prosecutors have charged opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev with plotting mass riots during a demonstration in Moscow last May, his lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky told RAPSI on Wednesday. Razvozzhayev, who had previously been accused by investigators of attempting mass disturbances, has been now formally charged with having organized riots, followed by violence, property destruction, […]

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U.S. Group Slams Transfer of Jewish Texts Praised by Putin

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(RIA Novosti, WASHINGTON, June 17, 2013) ­ A New York-based Orthodox Jewish group has said it is not satisfied with Russia’s recent decision to transfer a disputed collection of Jewish religious texts to the newly built Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow, a move proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve the row. Moving the so-called Schneerson Library […]

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Russia’s privatization plan to become far less ambitious – paper

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Empty Boardroom

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 17, 2013) Russia’s privatization plan, which has been very ambitious in the past two years but slow to be implemented, will become more realistic. The government came up with its big plans to divest a number of key assets in the summer of 2011, when current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was still president. Last June the […]

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Navalny says his brother’s home searched by detectives

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Being Grabbed by Police at Protest

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 17, 2013) Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, founder of Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote on Twitter on Monday that detectives were currently searching his brother’s apartment. Interfax has been unable to obtain confirmation of Navalny’s words. In December, brothers Alexei and Oleg Navalny were charged with fraud and money laundering. “Alexei Navalny set up a limited liability company […]

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Navalny Defiant in KirovLes Testimony

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Being Grabbed by Police at Protest

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – June 18, 2013) Opposition leader Alexei Navalny took the stand in court on Monday, denying charges that he stole 10,000 cubic meters of timber from KirovLes in 2009 and saying he had tried to fight corruption at the state-owned company. Navalny, who is also a prominent anti-corruption blogger and a lawyer, began […]

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United Popular Front supports economic amnesty

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Empty Boardroom

(Interfax – June 18, 2013) Russia’s United Popular Front (ONF) supports the idea of economic amnesty. “We support amnesty for businessmen on economic counts,” Alexander Galushka, co-chairman of the ONF’s central staff and co-chairman of the Business Russia organization said at a press conference at Interfax on Tuesday. “The presumption of guilt” for businessmen must be scrapped and this chapter […]

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Putin’s Front: the end of politics?

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Speaking At All-Russia Popular Front Gathering

(Moscow News – Anna Arutunyan, editor and correspondent at themoscownews.com – June 17, 2013) Remember the season finale of “Game of Thrones,” when Daenerys Targaryen liberates thousands of slaves, and then tells them that she didn’t give them their freedom because it’s not hers to give? The people are so struck by her gesture that they physically rally around her, reaching […]

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New Putin-Led Movement Tool for Kremlin, Not Society – Experts

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Speaking At All-Russia Popular Front Gathering

(Alexey Eremenko, RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 18, 2013) ­ Last week President Vladimir Putin took the helm of a quasi-political movement officially meant to help ordinary Russians inform the Kremlin of problems that need solving. But analysts remained skeptical about the organization’s stated aims, wondering why genuine feedback from society should have to go through the president’s office. More […]

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Putin’s Popular Front to replace United Russia?

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Speaking At All-Russia Popular Front Gathering

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yulia Ponomareva, RBTH – June 18, 2013) Vladimir Putin welcomes wary supporters of United Russia to the Russian Popular Front. The pro-Kremlin United Russia party has been taking blow after a blow to its reputation, as several of its high-ranking members have been accused of plagiarizing their postgraduate degree theses; others have been […]

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Interfax: Nemtsov, Tymoshenko, Shushkevich top unpopularity lists – poll

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 17, 2013) Boris Nemtsov, Yulia Tymoshenko and Stanislav Shushkevich top “no confidence” rankings lists compiled after recent opinion polls taken in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Respondents in the polls, conducted by Integratsiya Foundation, were shown lists of opposition politicians in their respective countries and asked whether they trusted any of them, the foundation said in a […]

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Unscheduled inspections trigger push to amend NGO law

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – June 18, 2013) The Law on Nongovernmental Organizations will be adjusted and its provisions dealing with unscheduled inspections will be amended, the Russian government said on its website citing its resolution of June 17. Article 32 will be amended and it will list the following reasons for ordering unscheduled inspections on nonprofit organizations: expiration of the deadline for […]

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Putin’s Unfunded Mandates Costing Moscow Support East of the Urals

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Far East, Siberia, APEC, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of People Working on Car Amidst Siberian Woodlands and Meadows

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, June 17, 2013) Siberia and the Russian Far East are supposed to come up with the money to pay for Vladimir Putin’s promise to develop those regions, an arrangement officials say that in the absence of new revenues they will not be able to do and that is undermining support for Moscow […]

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