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Parliament speaker could be dismissed over anti-Putin remarks
Published: 03 February, 2010, 15:07
Edited: 26 April, 2010, 15:54
TAGS: Conflict, Scandal, Putin, Russia, Crisis, Politics, Law, Budget
Russia’s ruling United Russia party has said they may demand the resignation of the Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov over his criticism of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s policies.
The United Russia leadership was outraged by the remarks the speaker of the upper house made in a program shown on Channel One TV on Monday.
Mironov – previously known for being a strong supporter of Putin – in an interview with one of the country’s leading journalists, Vladimir Pozner, was asked to clarify his current position since the politician said that he did back Putin – who now leads United Russia – but did not support the party itself. So what is behind the stance?
Mironov said that even though he supports “everything in Putin’s foreign policy and certain decisions in home policy”, there are certain points he cannot agree with.
The speaker, who also heads the left-leaning party Fair Russia, said “we categorically oppose the budget proposed by Vladimir Putin; that is why we voted against it.”
“We disagree with the anti-crisis measures proposed by Vladimir Putin, and therefore we offered our own anti-crisis plan. Therefore, to say that we and I personally support Vladimir Putin in everything is obsolete information,” Mironov said as quoted on the channel’s website.
Mainly, he added, contradictions arise since Putin now heads United Russia, which is “in opposition to us” and its ideology is unacceptable because of its “doubtful conservatism”.
The ruling party’s senior members were quick to return fire. In a statement published on the party’s website Yury Shuvalov, Deputy Secretary of United Russia's Supreme Council Presidium, called Mironov’s lunge at Putin – “who is supported by the majority of Russian population” – a political mistake.
He said Mironov’s statements could “destabilize the development of the political and party system in the country”, adding that such behavior is unacceptable for a person of his position in the state hierarchy.
The party leadership seems to be decisive and ready to go from rhetoric to action.
“Taking into account the fact that [Mironov] represents the legislative assembly of St. Petersburg, where we have a majority, I believe it logical and expedient, after consulting with our colleagues from the Legislative Assembly of the northern capital, to begin the procedure of recalling [Mironov],” head of the Central Executive committee of United Russia Andrey Vorobyev said on as quoted by Itar Tass news agency.
Another senior United Russia official, Andrey Isayev, said Mironov's criticism reflected “his personal moral crisis,” RIA Novosti writes.
“I think it would be fair and right for him to resign from his post [as the Federation Council speaker], which was given to him by United Russia and nobody else,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mironov said he was surprised by such a backlash, Interfax writes.
“I have publicly voiced my disagreement with these positions – including the budget – on a number of occasions,” he told the agency. He said that he personally told Putin that Fair Russia did not support a number of anti-crisis measures proposed by United Russia.
He said he had no absolutely idea why the party leadership considered his statements to be seditious.
As for his possible dismissal, “the United Party can say whatever they want,” he retorted. Citing the current legislation, Mironov said “it is impossible”, since in order to start the procedure the Federation Council has to apply to the legislative assembly of St. Petersburg.
03.02.2010, 11:23
2 comments
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This is all quite expected. Basically the problem is that Putin has rather a 'less developed imagination element in his mental set-up. This is NOT to disparage him or put him in poor light or any thing of this nature. Putin will do good, in areas which don't need Imagination and correspondingly not do well in areas needing imagination. raaj joshi
What he said, is not really so important. He is right, he and others have had issues with the budget --- nothing new. Yet, there was something in the manner and the presentation that was MEANT to be sensational, to stir things up. And indeed, he did not have to go to the public multi-million viewer media to send a message to Putin on the budget. He has other venues for that. Whatever reasons, he was not wise. It creates the impression of obstructionism for obstruction sake --- not based on a specific issue of disagreement. And that is what fuels speculation and all the sillyness. When will Russia finally become a "normal" Western state? When will these politicians learn the hard lessons. They are not clowns to entertain us, but to conduct the highly sensitive matters of the state. And "from West" is absolutely right. Nowhere in the West would he last a single day in his position and with his salary, pension, benefits and the rest. There is a reason for it: his job is not to be a freelance politician. If this is what he wants to do, then others should help him resign. Let him then invest his own fortune into politics, and try to convince the public of his BETTER program for the nation. He cannot do it while taking taxpayers money through his salary.
Unless Russia is a naked power dictatorship, like the old Soviet Union, then the parliament speaker should have no fear of stating his position. Everyone will not always agree with everything that P. M. Putin proposes or says. It is good when honest leaders speak up if they disagree or want to propose another solution.The Russian parliament will probably never have the heated discussions like the English. Sounds like this parliamentary speaker has a little fire in him. This is not bad. He could have some good ideas that would enhance Putin's agenda. Putin may want to work with this guy.