MOSCOW, December 24 (Itar-Tass) — State Duma deputy Andrei Isayev said former finance minister Alexei Kudrin, who was becoming a fighter for freedom and democracy, had not demonstrated any special political liberalism.
Commenting on the former vice-prime minister’s demands to hold early elections to the lower house of parliament, Isayev said, “It seems to me that Alexei Leonidovich [Kudrin] decided to follow Mikhail Kasyanov’s path. When Kudrin was a top official, he did not demonstrate any special political liberalism. Then suddenly he was becoming a fighter for freedom and democracy in such a narrow-radical sense.”
Isayev recalled that in 2005 Kudrin had been in charge of the 122nd federal law (on monetisation of benefits) that “aroused mass protests”. “In this case Alexei Leonidovich considered unnecessary to listen to these rallies and change the state policy. Now, after the resignation, he behaves other way. In my view, it is not so decent. But this is his right,” he said.
Speaking at the rally, For Honest Elections, Kudrin said he supported protesters’ demand to dismiss CEC chairman Vladimir Churov. “I call on you to elect a group of people who will be able to formulate requirements on the political reform. One cannot only talk, deeds are indispensable. Elections should be held amid new conditions,” Kudrin said. He also proposed “to include a point on early elections in the resolution”. “The parliament cannot not work six months because now Russia is entering the crisis,” Kudrin added.
According to Isayev, the rally differed from the protest action on Bolotnaya Square. “If the Bolotnaya rally involved civil society activists, who spoke about the society interests, the Sakharov protest action is politicised,” he said.
Commenting on certain slogans, he said, “Some politicians are trying to use people’s discontent to solve their own problems. It is obvious that people, who fight for power, are trying to use the gathering as their corps in this struggle,” he concluded.