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LDPR wishes to renew itself, world relations' format

The participants in the Congress are some 300 delegates from different regions of the country

MOSCOW, September 13 (Itar-Tass) — The Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) opened its 23rd Congress in the Column Hall of the House of Unions, a dozen or so meters from the building of the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament on Tuesday. The LDPR is the first among the major political parties to convene in the ongoing election campaign.

The participants in the Congress are some 300 delegates from different regions of the country. They are expected to approve the LDPR's federal list of candidates who will run in the election to the 6th State Duma on December 4.

Irreplaceable LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky will make a one-hour political report at the opening of the Congress. He will dwell on the Party's program and priorities.

In an interview to Itar-Tass, head of the LDPR faction at the State Duma Igor Lebedev confirmed that the Party aimed at a high result at the upcoming parliamentary elections. "Twenty-five percent would be a good result," Lebedev said.

The leader's political report will proclaim a course toward further renewal of the Party, because "young people are more dynamic, creative, mobile and educated."

Zhirinovsky does not conceal his ambitious plans to "form the youngest faction in the whole Europe."

Another priority is to form a new format of world relations. The LDPR calls for reviving Russian national consciousness, lending the Russian people the status of state-building nation and restoring Russia’s status as a great power.

Among the LDPR's election slogans are establishing state monopoly on power generation, oil and gas, alcohol and sugar, as well as tough state and public control over the oligarchs' assets.

The LDPR seeks to shut down pornographic websites on the Internet and cancel entrance examinations to colleges. Liberal Democrats hold that the Single State Examination System is a failure and suggest enrolling all applicants to colleges, leaving all those who really wish to study after the first term.

The Congress will vote on the federal list in a secret ballot. Zhirinovsky will make a closing address. In all, his reports will take 1 hour 40 minutes.

Of the seven Russian political parties which may run in the election, two parties not represented in parliament have already held their pre-election congresses. These are Patriots of Russia and Yabloko. To register a list of candidates they have to collect 150,000 signatures unlike the parties represented at the State Duma.