Category: Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

NEWSLINK: A Nervous Russian Elite is Wary as Putin Transforms His Political Edifice

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo

[A nervous Russian elite is wary as Putin transforms his political edifice – Washington Post – Will Englund – March 9, 2013 – http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-nervous-russian-elite-is-wary-as-putin-transforms-his-political-edifice/2013/03/08/8c777036-829e-11e2-a350-49866afab584_story.html] The Washington Post addresses changes in the Russian political elite: President Vladimir Putin’s steady and seemingly solid political structure, under pressure from within and without, is undergoing a renovation that could remake the whole edifice, if […]

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Knock, Knock: The Return of the Propiska?

History, Soviet Union, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia

(opendemocracy.net – Mikhail Loginov – March 7, 2013) Mikhail Loginov is a journalist and novelist based in St. Petersburg. He is the author of the recently published bestselling political thriller “Battle for Kremlin”. Reports from Moscow of door-to-door passport checks and a proposed new bill criminalising registration infringements are rekindling uncomfortable memories of the Soviet past. Mikhail Loginov reflects on […]

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Putin says fate of Pussy Riot women out of his hands

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
File Photo of Pussy Riot Members in Courtroom Enclosure, With Man Showing Papers to One While Female Guard Looks On

(Interfax – March 7, 2013) Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied he can influence the fate of members of the female punk band Pussy Riot who are currently serving prison terms. He was talking to journalists on a visit to Vologda on 7 March, as reported by Interfax news agency that day. “That depends not on me, but on the […]

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Pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi to be revamped

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

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – www.rbth.ru – Alexei Bausin, RBTH – March 7, 2013) Russia’s notorious pro-government youth movement Nashi is set for a complete overhaul. It is reported to be replaced by a new youth organization with a new name and different objectives Russia’s Nashi (Ours in Russian) youth movement, which made a name for itself by organizing outrageous […]

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More Russians Support Idea Of Female President Than Oppose It, Poll Shows

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

(RIA Novosti – March 6, 2013) Roughly two in five Russians would like to have a female president, a Levada Centre poll has shown, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on 6 March. The poll, available at http://www.levada.ru/06-03-2013/rossiyane-o-roli-zhenshchin-v-politike, surveyed people’s views on the role of women in Russian politics by gauging responses to three questions. The number of respondents who […]

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Children of Russian Officials and Businessmen Hold Top Posts

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(RIA Novosti – February 26, 2013) Aleksandr Lebedev, the co-owner of Aeroflot has nominated three people for the company’ board of directors, including his own son Yegor. According to open sources, Yegor was born in November 2011. Petr Fradkov (born in 1978), the eldest son of Mikhail Fradkov the director of the Russian Federation Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), heads the […]

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EU liberals support revival of Helsinki Process in Russia

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

TALLINN. March 7 (Interfax) – Members of EU liberal and democratic parties and movements said they were concerned that Moscow was straying from its international obligations in the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and offered to revive the Helsinki Process. “Russia’s abrupt deviation from the democratic standards enshrined in the 1993 constitution, […]

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Putin Allies Climb Up Forbes List

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Howard Amos – March 4, 2013) The personal fortunes of businessmen rumored to enjoy close relationships with President Vladimir Putin jumped sharply in a new Forbes ranking Monday as Facebook investor Alisher Usmanov retained the title of Russia’s richest man. The wealth of Gennady Timchenko, owner of oil trader Gunvor and a large stakeholder in […]

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If Pussy Riot not punished, thousands could have followed them – Russian Chief Rabbi

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
File Photo of Pussy Riot Members in Courtroom Enclosure, With Man Showing Papers to One While Female Guard Looks On

Moscow, March 5, Interfax – Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar supports the punishment of the members of the Pussy Riot punk band for their performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. “If we talk about the sentence itself, I think it isn’t that bad, because they did hurt believers’ feelings. It’s obvious they were to be punished. […]

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Fifty Shades of Gray: If Your Game Doesn’t Have a Safeword, Someone Could Get Hurt

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladislav Surkov with Mike McFaul

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Anna Arutunyan – March 4, 2013) Anna Arutunyan is the politics editor of The Moscow News In Russia, there were a thousand shades of gray before Vladislav Surkov, the so-called “gray cardinal” behind Vladimir Putin’s first 12 years in power, was replaced in late 2011. Now, one year into Putin’s third term as president, there […]

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Polls in Russia Influence Public Opinion More than Reflect It, Sociologist Says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, March 3, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/03/window-on-eurasia-polls-in-russia_3.html) Polls in Russia often influence public opinion more than they reflect it, according to a Moscow sociologist, because they are conducted after a decision is taken rather than before, because they use terms that dispose people to answer one way rather than another, and because as is […]

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Life Expectancy in Russia Is Stagnant, Study Says

Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Two Elders Walking Outdoors

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – March 6, 2013) Russia saw virtually no increase in life expectancy from 1990 to 2010 and lagged behind more than 100 countries in the key health statistic over that period, according to a global study released Tuesday. The study, called the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2010, says that while global life […]

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Hollande and Putin Warm Relations

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Eiffel Tower file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nikolaus von Twickel and Irina Filatova – March 1, 2013) President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hosted his French counterpart Francois Hollande for four-hour-long talks in the Kremlin, which diplomats said were direct and productive. Hollande’s first visit since the socialist was elected president in May was preceded by expectations that the French leader would challenge […]

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From ‘Upper Volta with Missiles’ to ‘Nigeria with Snow’

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Russia & the West
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 28, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-from-upper-volta-with.html) Twenty-five years ago, German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt characterized the Soviet Union as being an “Upper Volta with missiles.” Now, Russian analysts, in response to findings of a Swiss firm, have suggested that a better analogy might be between the Russian Federation and a “Nigeria with snow.” The […]

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Russia Eyes Efficient Management of State-Controlled Assets

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

(Eurasia Daily Monitor: Volume 10, Issue 39 – Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org – Sergei Blagov – March 1, 2013) The Russian government pledged to manage $3.3 trillion worth of its state-controlled assets more efficiently, including through the continued privatization of state-owned companies. However, the authorities have to prove that the latest privatization efforts could fare better than earlier attempts to […]

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Five New Statistics about Russia That Say More Than a Glance Might Suggest

Education, Academia, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia, Religion
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, March 1, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/03/window-on-eurasia-five-new-statistics.html) Five new statistics about Russia this past week ­ one about Muslims in the army, a second about the state of its roads, a third about the number of illegal migrants in the country, a fourth about Russian attitudes toward religious instruction in the schools, and a […]

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TRANSCRIPT: Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with the Brazilian TV network Globo

Americas, Brazil, BRICS, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Dmitry Medvedev file photo

(Governent.ru – February 26, 2013) Correspondent (via interpreter): Mr Prime Minister, thank you very much for finding time for Globo in your schedule. In your recent article in the influential Financial Times, you wrote that Russia should look to the East, to the Asia-Pacific Region. How, looking East, did you wind up in Brazil?  Did you follow Columbus who set […]

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Russians commend Putin’s performance, believe he can keep election promises – poll

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

MOSCOW. Feb 28 (Interfax) – Some 47% of Russians believe that President Vladimir Putin can keep the election promises, the Levada Center told Interfax after having polled respondents in 130 towns and cities in 45 regions this February. A third (34%) doubted that and 17% were hesitant, the sociologists said. In the opinion of 65%, President Putin has done more […]

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Re-Elected, Zyuganov Defends Stalin’s Grave

History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – February 27, 2013) Gennady Zyuganov, re-elected Saturday as leader of the Communist Party, a position he’s held for 17 years, said Tuesday that public calls to remove Stalin’s and Brezhnev’s graves from the Kremlin Wall Necropolis came from “provocateurs” and “SS loyalists.” He vowed that his party would continue to fight proposals […]

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Xenophobic Attitudes Growing Across Russian Political Spectrum, Moscow Expert Says

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

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 26, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-xenophobic-attitudes.html) Xenophobic attitudes are now to be found among communist, nationalist, liberal and pro-Kremlin parties and groups, according to Moscow’s leading specialist on inter-ethnic relations, a development that reflects the efforts of these organizations to tap into popular attitudes and win votes. Such outreach programs are not likely […]

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Putin’s War on Three Fronts

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Duma Session file photo

(Institute of Modern Russia – www.imrussia.org – Tatiana Stanovaya – February 25, 2013 – click here for original posting of article) Two important tendencies have marked Russian political life during the past few months. The first is the Kremlin’s attempt to control officials’ and lawmakers’ foreign accounts and real estate holdings. The second is the growing activity of independent bloggers […]

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Kerry and Lavrov Expected to See Eye to Eye

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Sergei Lavrov file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – February 27, 2013) Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, held their first face-to-face meeting in Berlin late Tuesday, initiating a diplomatic relationship expected to be stronger than that between Lavrov and Kerry’s predecessor, Hillary Clinton. The two top diplomats were expected to discuss the ongoing […]

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Jewish Library Not the Only Thing Russia Isn’t Giving Back

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, History, Soviet Union, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
File Photo of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – February 26, 2013) President Vladimir Putin said last week that returning a Jewish book collection confiscated after the Bolshevik Revolution was impossible because it would open a “Pandora’s box” of claims on such property. “[If Russia] starts satisfying these sorts of claims, there would be no end to them and no telling […]

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Putin System Degenerating and Will Be Swept Away, Solovey Argues

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

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 25, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-putin-system.html) The Russian Federation is “again entering a period of radical changes when entirely different and still unknown forces and figures” will replace those that President Vladimir Putin has assembled around him, according to Valery Solovey, an MGIMO professor who heads the New Force Party. In an interview […]

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Justice Ministry Refuses to Check Golos Election Watchdog

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Arm and Torso of Person in Brown Sweater Placing Paper Ballot into Ballot Box

(Moscow TImes – themoscowtimes.com – February 26, 2013) The Justice Ministry has refused to conduct a check into election watchdog Golos’ compliance with recently passed legislation requiring foreign-funded organizations to register as “foreign agents” despite over 100 requests to do so. The ministry received 120 requests to recognize Golos as a foreign agent, and 350 such requests for the Levada […]

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Blind Lawmaker Praises New Law Requiring Firms to Hire the Disabled

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Back of Wheelchari with Line of Persons in Business Dress in Background

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – February 26, 2013) Oleg Smolin, a State Duma deputy with the Communist Party, praised a law that entered into force Monday and requires companies to hire disabled people or face fines of up to 10,000 rubles ($330). “We supported this legislation because it looks like a first step forward,” Smolin, who is […]

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Putin still seen best for presidency, though rating falls

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Speaking with Flag Behind Him and Microphones in Front

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Aleksandras Budrys – February 26, 2013) One-third of Russians still believe that President Vladimir Putin is the best choice for the post as head of state, although his rating continues to fall steadily, a survey conducted by independent agency Levada Center showed on Tuesday. The poll, conducted on February 15 to February 18, surveyed 1,600 […]

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10% of Russian Companies Dodged Taxes in 2012 – Central Bank

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Empty Boardroom

MOSCOW, February 26 (RIA Novosti) ­ Every tenth Russian company making settlements through the Central Bank’s payment system dodged tax payments in 2012, according to data posted on the regulator’s website on Tuesday. Central Bank figures show 242,000 companies or about 11 percent of the 2.2 million businesses surveyed by the regulator made zero tax payments last year, despite conducting […]

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Russia’s registration rules: what goes around…

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Artist's Rendition of Pile of Papers Shaped Like Human, Wall of File Cabinets, Flying Pieces of Paper

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Natalia Antonova – February 25, 2013) Here is a solution on how to deal with Russia’s archaic registration system: don’t tie registration to real estate ownership. If registration is simply meant to let the authorities know where you’re residing, people should be able to fill out a single form on a website or at a […]

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Arrest and custody, Russian-style

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(www.opendemocracy.net – Grigory Okhotin – February 22, 2031) Grigory Okhotin is a journalist and co-founder of the grassroots police monitoring organisation OVD-Info [‘police-info’]. [Charts here: http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/grigory-okhotin/arrest-and-custody-russian-style] Police custody, violence, trials and imprisonment have been all to common features on the Russian protest landscape since December 2011. A grassroots monitoring project called OVD-info has kept realtime data on the arrests; co-founder […]

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Presumed Putin Allies Get Most Construction Contracts

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Moscow Traffic file photo

(Moscow TImes – themoscowtimes.com – February 25, 2013) Two companies co-owned by people seen as close to President Vladimir Putin were awarded the largest number of major road and bridge construction contracts by City Hall in 2011-12, Vedomosti reported Tuesday. In the period, a total of 150 road and bridge construction contracts worth 182.4 billion rubles ($6 billion) were awarded, […]

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Civil servants may have problems selling their foreign assets – Kremlin representative

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Cash, Calculator, Pen

MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax) – President Vladimir Putin’s representative in the State Duma Garri Minkh has acknowledged that government executives may have problems selling their assets and foreign company shares in compliance with the president-proposed bill. “The procedure of selling shares is not so easy. Not so easy as selling a glass of sunflower seeds,” Minkh said during the first […]

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TRANSCRIPT: Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with the Brazilian newspaper O Globo

Americas, Brazil, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Dmitry Medvedev file photo

(Government.ru – February 22, 2013) Transcript: Correspondent (via interpreter): I know we have little time and will try to be succinct. I’ll start with Syria right away. Do you think Bashar al-Assad will remain in power for a long time to come? We know that Syria has been in this situation for a long time already, and it is still […]

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Wave of Resignations Foreseen in Duma

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Duma Building

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – February 22, 2013) The resignation of senior United Russia lawmaker Vladimir Pekhtin following accusations from opposition leader Alexei Navalny that he owned undeclared property in the U.S. triggered speculation that more lawmakers would quit their seats, throwing the ruling party into crisis. Pundits said Thursday that with lawmakers facing an increasing barrage […]

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Corruption Watch round-up; Russian crack-down escalates dramatically

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Two Persons Shaking Hands and Exchanging Cash

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – February 22, 2013) The Kremlin’s drive to crack down on corruption in the government has escalated dramatically in the last week and moved into a new phase. In addition to several high profile investigations into both government departments and large state-owned companies, senior officials have come out in recent days to indicate that the […]

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Medvedev Says Talk of Russia as Human Rights Violator ‘Frivolous’

Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Dmitry Medvedev file photo

(Moscow Times – themocowtimes.com – February 22, 2013) In an interview with the Brazilian daily O Globo, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said talk of Russia as a human rights violator was “frivolous” and suggested prison sentences received by Pussy Riot band members could have been less strict. “I do not believe that we are an absolutely perfect, model society and […]

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Russian Foreign Ministry opens Facebook account

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(Interfax – Moscow, February 21, 2013) The Russian Foreign Ministry has opened an official account in the social network Facebook, says a report published on the ministry’s website today. “Topical information about the Russian foreign policy, archive materials about the history of the Russian diplomatic service, helpful information for countrymen and Russians staying abroad will be posted there. We expect […]

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Putin’s Nationality Policy Won’t Work as He Intends

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

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 20, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-putins-nationality.html) Both the five specific planks of his nationality policy that Vladimir Putin outlined yesterday and problems underlying his entire approach to this issue guarantee that the Russian president will offend both Russians and non-Russians and produce the very outcome he says he is trying to avoid ­ […]

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Nearly 90% of Russians support ban on foreign bank accounts of officials – poll

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Cash, Calculator, Pen

MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax) – Support of the Russian public to President Vladimir Putin’s bill banning foreign bank accounts of civil servants is practically unanimous, the Public Opinion Foundation said. It polled 1,500 respondents in 100 towns and cities in 43 regions on February 16-17. Seventy-three percent heard about the bill, and 26% learned about it during the poll. From […]

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Duma Requests Extremism Probe into Church Reform Article

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
Duma Session file photo

MOSCOW, February 21 (RIA Novosti) – Representatives of the four factions in the State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, on Wednesday requested an extremism probe into an article on a Russian Orthodox Church reform by political scientist Stanislav Belkovsky. In the article published by the Moskovsky Komsomolets daily on February 15, Belkovsky says that the Russian Orthodox […]

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Russians support Putin, not happy with State Duma – poll

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Duma Building

MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax) – Sixty-five percent of Russians approve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s work, the Levada Center told Interfax on Thursday, following a nationwide survey conducted on February 15-18. Levada Center sociologists said that the approval rating of the Russian president gained three points, as compared to 62% in January. The approval rating of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev […]

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Situation with orphans in Russia is more important than debate on foreign adoptions – Putin

Children, Adoptions, Orphans, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Russian Orphans with Mr. and Mrs. Dmitry Medvedev

NOVO-OGARYOVO. Feb 20 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said the living conditions of orphans in Russia are much more important than the current debate on adoptions. “We are now actively discussing the work with foreign adoptions, which is, of course, an important thing, but not the main thing. What is more important is the way children, who have been […]

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Putin opposes restitution of Soviet confiscated property

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
File Photo of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Aleksandras Budrys – February 20, 2013) Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country should not return cultural property confiscated by Bolshevik and Soviet authorities after the 1917 revolution to its previous owners. “If we now agree that such property of the Russian state will be transferred to someone, we will open a Pandora’s box. […]

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Far East development program to 2025 sent back for revisions – paper

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. Feb 20 (Interfax) – The government program for the Social and Economic Development of the Far East and Baikal Region for the Period to 2025, drafted by the Far East Development Ministry, was discussed at a meeting held by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, business daily Vedomosti reported on Wednesday. “The document was not officially submitted to the […]

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Dvorkovich Denies Resignation Rumors

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Arkady Dvorkovich file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Irina Filatova – February 20, 2013) Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich got in the spotlight Tuesday amid rumors that he might have to resign in the wake of the recent scandals in the energy sector, which he oversees. In comments posted on his Facebook account late Monday, Dvorkovich unequivocally dismissed speculation in social networks that […]

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Russia’s long-term budget strategy to be based on development forecast to 2030 – PM

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

MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax) – The long-term forecast for Russia’s social and economic development in the period to 2030 will be the foundation for the country’s long-term budget strategy, as well as federal and regional programs, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said. “Long-term budget strategy, federal and regional programs should be formed on the basis of this document, but we need […]

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Ten Commandments Party established in Russia

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion
File Photo of Stained Glass Window Depicting Moses Holding the Tablets of the Ten Commandments

Moscow, February 18, Interfax – The inaugural congress of the Russian Ten Commandments Party took place in Moscow. The total of 134 delegates from 45 Russian subjects, including Christians of different confessions, Muslims, and Jews, participated in the inaugural congress on February 17. The political council, the decision making body of the party, was headed by Sergey Mezentsev, Ph.D. “I […]

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Hundreds of Officials, MPs Prosecuted in 2012

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Duma Session file photo

MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Investigative Committee (IC) initiated criminal proceedings against more than 800 state and government officials last year, including about 600 lawmakers on different levels, committee chief Alexander Bastrykin said on Wednesday. “Last year we took legal action against some 600 deputies and elected heads of municipalities and local self-government bodies, 19 deputies of regional […]

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Having Released ‘Obscurantism Genie,’ Putin Could Lose Control Over It, Gontmakher Says

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

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 19, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-having-released.html) President Vladimir Putin’s decision to give official support to some of the most reactionary and vicious groups in Russian society in order to counter the increase in the number of the middle class who are appalled by his policies in this regard carries with it great risks […]

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Sobyanin Touted as Possible Putin Successor

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Sergei Sobyanin file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Winning – February 20, 2013) Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin is among the few politicians capable of appeasing warring factions within the ruling elite and becoming President Vladimir Putin’s successor, a report released Tuesday said. The report, drafted by the influential Minchenko Consulting Group, said that although there exists a broad consensus within Putin’s inner […]

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