Campaign on Appointment of the Successor Acting President Will Start Today

Today the CEC will register the first vice-premier of the Russian government and successor of Vladimir Putin Dmitry Medvedev as the candidate on a post of the president of Russia. He will become not the first registered candidate but the third - after Zhirinovsky and Zyuganov. But precisely after his official registration in the CEC it will be possible to speak that campaign dedicated to the "election" of the president has begun. Though it's, in general, clear to everybody what result will be announced after March, 2nd. And it is absolutely not clear what will follow...

 

After registration in the CEC Medvedev will receive the certificate of the candidate in presidents. According to the selective legislation the candidate is not obliged to come personally to the CEC to receive the certificate. He won't be present actually - whether future president will hang about some commissions, even if selective ones... Performance of this honourable mission will be assigned to a management of "Edinaya Russia" which pegged Medvedev. The secretary of the general council of "Edinaya Russia" Vyacheslav Volodin, who is registered as authorized person of Medvedev, will be the keeper of the certificate.

 

Speaking fairly, it's not so clear why the successor needs to show such demonstrative contempt for democratic procedure. No, it's possible to understand him from human point of view, in Russia it deserves nothing but for contempt. But what is the reason to step on it so demonstratively?

 

Well, all right, I hope that the future president will come on inauguration (crowning) personally. Let's live and see.

 

It is curious that having expressed deserved contempt for institutes of civil society, he will begin his "election" campaign with participation in action which has relation exactly to civil society. Certainly, in nomenclature variant. On Tuesday Medvedev, already in the status of the candidate, will take part in work of the third Civil forum where he will announce theses of his election programme. More than thousand people will take part in a forum which will carry the name "New Social Initiatives: through Continuity to Progress": both calling of the Public Chamber, representatives of the Regional Public Chambers, representatives of social councils at instances of authority and non-commercial organizations. That is the authority will appoint to itself "civil society" and will dialogue with it after the fashion: "Be silent, I listen to You!".

 

The newspaper "Vedomosty" recollected (what memory people have) that at the previous Civil forum the question on confrontation of a civil society and authority was actively discussed and the basic idea of a present forum would be how to adjust teamwork of a civil society and authority. Well, the answer to this question will be quite predicted: when "civil society" listens to authority on foot and interrupts it only by rough and continuous applauses, this interaction is constructive. Meanwhile somebody says something at random - it's extremism.

 

Only the former prime-minister Kasyanov remained from the extremist public among the candidates admitted to a threshold of the CEC. After checking of half of signatures which were handed over by Kasyanov, the CEC found out that the quantity of foozles exceeded admissible maximum - something about 7,5 % instead of admissible five.

 

Here we have already very serious dilemma. In principle, Kasyanov needs to be not admitted with shame up to elections having shown to everybody that the former prime minister, dared to express disagreement, at once is turned into petty swindler who forges at night signatures of citizens.

 

As long as one can remember, already during lifetime of Turkmenbashi Niyazov Velikolepny, lawfully elected democratic by Turkmen people, there was one oppositionist in a rank of vice-premier who, having come into the hands of Turkmen justice, himself confessed on TV that he conducted immoral, antisocial way of life, took alcoholic drinks and drugs, had communications with indecent women and planned even against authority.

 

Well, certainly, our civil society is far from Turkmen heights but there is right tendency.

 

The candidate for presidents Michael Kasyanov nonplused the CEC by full absence of interest to checking of signatures in his support. A lot of questions arises in the course of checking, but there is nobody to answer them, a member of the CEC Elvira Ermakova told to "Vedomosty". Neither Kasyanov, nor his representatives are present at checking. I think so that they addict themselves to vices at this time, it will necessarily come to light in the near future.

 

Two telegrams were directed to Kasyanov with a reminder that representatives of the candidate have the right to be present, Ermakova says. It is possible that on Monday the CEC will discuss necessity to send Kasyanov report about the revealed defects, she adds: "It is a question of a plenty of [forged] signatures, therefore we should listen to Kasyanov". She can't estimate the volume of foozles: only half is checked up. But there are a lot of claims: there is not even a list of collectors, for example, in a folder on one of the regions.

 

Checking of signatures has started on January, 17th, the press-service of the CEC informs, they process 50 000-100 000 signatures for each candidate - Kasyanov and Andrey Bogdanov - in a day. The head of Bogdanov's staff - Vyacheslav Smirnov - says that he keeps the process of checking under vigilant control: "We contact the group of checking in each case. There was a case when they gave information in Federal Migration Service that a collector died. Meanwhile I was speaking with him by phone!" According to Smirnov, more than a half of signatures for Bogdanov is checked, there are 3% of foozle. There are no representatives of Kasyanov in the office for checking of signatures, he notes: "One person comes once a day for 15-20 minutes and then there is nobody for the whole day".

Well, they are meanwhile really taking drugs and meet indecent women. If there should be such civil society in our remarkable country?

 

Certainly, it's absolutely not possible to admit such candidate as Kasyanov to elections. As to Bogdanov - it is possible and even necessary. Not going into details how a citizen known to very few people for a short period of time complicated by New Year's holidays managed to collect 2 million signatures in his support.

 

It evidently shows that there is a civil society in our country. Though for two days, though two million signatures - without ceremony. And only such people as Kasyanov - sadden... Turncoats, in a word.

 

However the list of candidates for the supreme post without Kasyanov turns out to be very short. Except for mister Bogdanov, whose political star has ascended in a sky of the Russian civil society a little bit unexpectedly, Zhirinovsky and Zyuganov apply. Each of them applies already, it seems, for the fifth time with stable result. Untimely death of one more constant candidate Lev Ubozhko makes this list very sorrowful as a turn for a social allowance. 

 

It's not respectable somehow, not imposing. Here comrade Zyuganov demands that Medvedev meet him on debate, meanwhile Medvedev even doesn't go to receive the certificate in the CEC having appointed Volodin instead. So, if he should now also with Zhirinovsky and with it... Bogdanov debate?

 

Though I, within the limits of formation of a civil society in Russia, would suggest all wishing candidates in president to formulate questions to Dmitry Medvedev in written form and in due order to direct them to e-mail of Administration of the president. I think, there will be profound answers and in time. If it will be needed, comrade Volodin will read them.

 

Start working, comrades!