United Russia should take bull by horns – Medvedev

United Russia members shouldn’t just sit around twiddling their thumbs, but should get down to work and make life in the country better, President Dmitry Medvedev says.

“The opposition has it easy: it’s always easier to criticize. But those who take responsibility are in a more difficult position, as they must bring their commitments to life and because they become a target of criticism – both constructive and absolutely unfounded," Medvedev said, as cited by Interfax. The president added that the ruling party must be prepared for this. Medvedev, who heads the United Russia list for the December 4 parliamentary election, met on Tuesday with active party members in the Siberian city of Barnaul.Speaking at the meeting, he pointed out that the party has every chance of remaining the leading political force in the country after the State Duma vote. The president stressed that United Russia needs to keep its leadership “not for the sake of leadership, but in order to carry out reforms and modernize our country’s economy and social sphere.”Medvedev expressed hope that the party will take an active stance and take matters into its own hands,working to change life for the better. Following up on the meeting, its participants met again today to discuss next steps. These include a whole range of issues from reviving the small aircraft transportation system, to solving housing problems and preventing the sale of alcohol to minors.