Authorities Shaped Course on Canonization of B. Eltsin

Eltsin Died, Eltsinism Is Alive

The last two weeks passed in an atmosphere of occurrence of very important events which became the bright characteristic of a current political situation and defined tendencies of its development in prospect, - celebrating of the 1st of May, V.Putin's last presidential message and the death of the first president of "democratic" Russia - B.Eltsin.

On May Day left opposition traditionally carried out actions - processions, demonstrations, meetings and solemn assemblies all over the country. These events again showed a high level of mobilization of the left forces, they drew attention of the wide public by actual slogans, public speeches of the left forces with offers and initiatives under the decision of the most important social and economic and political problems of Russia.

It is remarkable that all political groups try to "adjoin" May Day holidays using these days in their own interests. Today the majority of political parties anyhow aspire to play on the left side distracting attention of workers from struggle for the interests and from original opposition. For example, "edinorossy" and semi-official "shmakovsky" trade unions on behalf of Russian Federation of Independent Trade Unions marched in Moscow on Tverskaya street. This day was also "marked" by "Yabloko" and nationalists.

At the same time real events in the country showed that the policy of the Kremlin and "party in power" diametrically differs from "leftism" declared. Events around the death and funeral of B.Eltsin clearly put everything into perspective. Actually imperous elite of Russia showed fidelity to all that its former leader made with Russia. B.Eltsin's funeral and ceremony of farewell which took place in Christ Savior Cathedral turned into event of the state importance, the mourning was declared, authorities promised to odious representatives of Eltsin's "family" to keep all guarantees of integrity and to create Eltsin's Fund having allocated for this purpose special place on the territory of Filevsky part in Moscow which is under protection.

Actually authorities held a course for B.Eltsin's canonization and it was openly declared by the communists. It is very important for present Russian governors to fix irreversibility of the destructive reforms begun at B.Eltsin which led to fabulous personal enrichment of oligarches and officials and immersing in poverty of the working majority. They need to break off historical connection with the Soviet past, to finish desovietization of Russia, to do it cynically, so that not to lose electoral support of the senior generation, covering it by symbolic steps like keeping of the Banner of Victory (this law now got the support of the Federation Council, to the  9^th of May the card will be played off by V.Putin). The Communist Party of the Russian Federation on a background of all this propaganda orgy accepted basic and the only true decision which so frightened cowardly liberals - to refuse to pay the tribute to the memory of the president-destroyer, the architect of pernicious reforms. The court of history has already cleared the air having prepared B.Eltsin a place at a pillory.

Disintegration of the Socialist System and Its Negative Consequences

Consequences of destruction of the USSR by B.Eltsin and its camarilla and then - of the policy of V.Putin led to the further decomposition of the CIS, they were brightly showed in the conflict with Estonia. As is known, the Estonian government made the barbarous decision to liquidate a monument to the Soviet Soldier-liberator in the center of Tallinn having occupied the place on the side of the extremely right forces lifting head in the Europe which had already showed themselves in EuroParliament and PASS by their anticommunistic and anti-soviet declarations. This decision played off by Estonian nationalists not so long before as pre-electional card was now realized notwithstanding the protests of the society.

The authorities of Estonia being encouraged by the extremely right circles in the West showed again profascist essence. Their actions are direct consequence of weakening of Russia, carrying out of inconsistent foreign policy in the world and the postSoviet space. In fact the Russian authorities had excellent opportunities to influence Estonia using economic methods and consistently to defend the rights of Russian population within the limits of the European institutes. But instead of it Russian companies and oligarchs connected with authorities ruefully were working in Estonia receiving there good profits and no paying attention to national interests of the country. And in the present situation the Kremlin to preserve face organized the antiEstonian campaign which had ambiguous consequences. Authorities wanted to play out "an image of the enemy" to consolidate around themselves society and to mobilize the proKremlin youth movements. But in sphere of foreign policy it led to deterioration of the Russian-European relations, official protests of the European Union and complexities in preparation of the summit Russia-EC which should pass in Samara on May, 18th.

In the meantime aggressive right forces in the former socialist countries carried out new provocations. In Hungary the tomb of the former communistic head of the country J.Kadar is profaned. In Poland the law which will allow to destroy the monuments reminding about "foreign domination over Poland" (Poland has already "become famous" for closing of the Russian exposition in Осwiecim having offended memory of the Great Patriotic War) is being prepared. In G.Zjuganov's special application is spoken about a wave of vandalism in the Europe which became consequence of anti-communistic hysteria. According to the communists, important factor which promotes it is tossing of the Russian authority which time after time shows its anti-communistic and anti-soviet essence, loses time and possibilities for true revival of Russia and wastes time carrying out selfPR when antiRussian forces make provocations.   

At the same time events in Khimky showed that authorities don't care much the remains of the Soviet soldiers in territory of own country and in case of protests from the left forces act impudently and aggressively reminding the Estonian police.

Colossus of Putin's Plans

The presidential message which ends the term of the present president V.Putin testified aspiration of the head of the state not simply to provide continuity of authority and rate but also to keep the high political status after the compelled resignation. V.Putin thus meaningly emphasized also continuity of the authority in relation to B.Eltsin having noted in the message that at B.Eltsin's time "the base of the future changes" was constructed though saying nothing about character and sign on these changes. Though it is interesting that between the lines of V.Putin's speech aspiration to keep separate from B.Eltsin could be seen as the present president with his well-known rating has grown on weaknesses and misses of the previous one and he perfectly understands it. Therefore V.Putin's reference to those who would like to return "recent" looked funny, i.e. eltsin's "past" aiming to plunder national riches and to deprive the country of the sovereignty. B.Eltsin's card I is being coolly used to finish up with the Soviet past but V.Putin at the same time wants to fix his positions in power and thinks how to leave so that in reality to stay.

For this very reason the message was marked by promotion of set of expensive long-term initiatives in social and economic spheres. The left opposition for a long time speaks about some of them. V.Putin wishes to appropriate their authorship, to supervise their realization after 2008 and, probably, to try to return to authority with this program in 2012. However such attempts to construct "socialism" are obviously doomed, as there is no talking about change of social and economic rate, refusal of capitalization of all new spheres of society and economics, replacement of corrupted, non-professional and odious officials. It's characteristic that there was not a word in the message about struggle with corruption which so excited officials in the previous message.

In this connection discussion of the three-year project of the federal budget prepared by the Ministry of Finance for 2008-10 which has begun in the State Duma seems to be interesting. Here you are evident contradictions here. V.Putin actively promises very large state expenditures through creation of new funds with beautiful names - Fund of Future Generations, Fund of National Well-Being, Bank of Development, etc. And thus he supports unconditional preservation of conservative "kudrin's" financial policy which supposes everything you like up to investment of capital in shares of foreign companies but for social expenditures and "opening" of Stabfund.It's clear that the Kremlin and the White House are not going to change their policy and to turn their faces to people.

One gets inconsistent impression also from the maintenance of broadcasting of putin's promises. Among most prominent aspects the following are allocated: development of electric power industry (the second scale electrification of the country) and transport infrastructure (with construction of "grandiose" motorways, railways and pipelines), development of processing of natural resources (oil, woods, etc.) instead of their export in a "raw" state. Rise of innovative economy and science - with special stress on nanotechnology was promised. All these look beautifully and towardly.

However real opportunities of the authorities which till now because of some "strange" reasons did not do anything in these directions and began to "move" only in pre-election year evokes doubts. The financial substantiation of these projects, their efficiency, guarantees of protection against corruption are not presented. The story with doubling gross national product which was actively propagandized by V.Putin having constructed on it his political campaign and about which was easily forgotten when it was found out that the Russian economy approached the limits of its growth could be recollected. There are too much propaganda and political aims in the declared projects in comparison with real program of actions. Probably, V.Putin is also not going to act differently since he is not interested in glorification of his successor on performance of the declared plans. And the present staff and economic mechanisms will not allow to change considerably the situation and this fact radically distinguishes putin's promises from the program of actions offered by the left forces.

Similarly true statement of problems is combined with absence of realistic offers on their realization in social sphere. Authorities again press social projects - settlement of housing problem, support of pensioners. But it is indicative that socially focused offers have given up the place in the message to grandiose business-projects. It testifies PR character of the initiatives stated in the presidential message and about the priority of interests of large business. The initiative about creation of National Fund of Russian directly corresponds to offers of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation on protection of language and culture which were discussed on recent plenum of the Central Committee. But for some reason the offer to create presidential library of a name of B.Eltsin follows. It's still no clear to the left forces whether the Russian authorities have enough power to withdraw from a treaty about usual armed forces in the Europe, to counteract attempts of the USA to create in the Europe system of ballistic missile defense, to develop consistently domestic Self-Defense Forces.