MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Russia is the last island of freedom in the world, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin claimed Wednesday, pointing at displays of political discrimination in the US, the Baltics and in Ukraine.
"Democracy is procedure, norms and rules. Do you see what is happening in the US? The country is dying, they have cancelled everything," Volodin said at the Duma meeting. "Where is their workers’ movement? Where is the socialist party? Where is their once strong communist party? There is none. Just like Ukraine has no free media. They have shut down all opposition media."
The speaker also mentioned restrictions against Russian media in the Baltic States.
"The Baltics have eliminated [the Russian media] arbitrarily. They also have no communist movements - they are banned. Russia is the last island of freedom. And you, as a representative of the oldest opposition party, must know that," he said, addressing a lawmaker from the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia.
Volodin named another LDPR deputy, Sergey Ivanov, who often speaks against the initiatives of the United Russia party.
"We have provided him with the right [to speak], and stated his position. And in this free atmosphere we will now decide on appointment of the Central Electoral Commission membership," the Speaker said.