MOSCOW, October 15 (Itar-Tass) —— The United Russia party has published a pre-election message on its official web-site.
The document, addressed to the citizens of Russia, is based on policy statements by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the leader of United Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the party's election congress, held on September 24. It includes eight theses by Medvedev that Putin elaborated on. "The focus of our attention is the individual," says the title of one of the first sections of the document.
The strategy of the party, according to Medvedev, is based on the modernization of the economy, on uprooting corruption, strengthening the judicial system, maintaining interethnic and inter-religious peace, and on the further development of the country's political system. United Russia is also going to take care of internal and external security of the country and conduct "an independent, sensible foreign policy."
As for specifics, the party’s policy statement promises that in the next five years Russia will become the fifth largest economy in the world. For this it is proposed to create "at least 25 million modern jobs in the industry and the public sector." For the sake of this the party should "lend its shoulder" to businesses by promoting the rapid development of transport infrastructures, energy and communications, ensuring greater road construction and investing in the fundamental sciences and cutting-edge research and development. "We need to create a truly middle class," the document says.
However, United Russia says that the country remains a welfare state. This means that every employee should receive a decent salary. United Russia promises that by the end of 2014 the average salary in the country will increase by 1.5 times, over five years there will be built at least one thousand new schools and the problem with queues to pre-school childcare centers will be lifted. Among the priorities it also mentions the problem of providing citizens with quality services in health care, and affordable housing.
United Russia proclaims justice as the "absolute value.”
"We agreed to the establishment of a 13-percent income tax rate and we are going to abandon this policy,” the document says. “The tax burden on the rich must be greater than that on the middle class, than that on the majority of citizens."
United Russia suggests solving this problem with "a tax on consumption, on real estate and property." The party also believes that "the Russian businesses should be socially responsible" and "remain in step with the common concerns" of the country.
In addition, the ruling party’s election platform promises in the next 5-10 years to fully re-equip the army and the navy, to provide the military with a complete package of social guarantees and a salary adequate to their responsibility. Pensions of all retired military personnel, regardless of former employment, will rise as of January 1, 2012 by an average of 50 percent, the document says.
The State Duma elections will be held on December 4. The authors of the address recall that next spring there will be a presidential election and all these will be "extremely important steps to creating the basic conditions for political stability in Russia," without which it is impossible to progressively develop the economy or ensure improvement of the welfare of our citizens."
This time United Russia is approaching the polls along with representatives of the All-Russia Popular Front, founded at the initiative of its leader, Vladimir Putin. "We're going to the elections to the State Duma together with representatives of virtually all strata of Russian society with the aim to ensure national consolidation to address the critical problems of the country," the program says.
The party’s list, at the initiative of Vladimir Putin, is to be led by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who in turn called for nominating Putin as a candidate for the president of Russia, agreeing to head the government after the presidential election.
“United Russia is a pro-presidential party. Our list in the elections is traditionally led by the president of the country," says the pre-election message.
The policy statement also declares that on the basis of the elections’ outcome "the winner party will form a renewed government."
The party confirms that it nominates its leader, Vladimir Putin, for the post of the president of the Russian Federation. "The future belongs to us! Together we shall win," reads the document.