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Russia’s Greens and Social Democrats united in common alliance

Oppositionist Gennady Gudkov and billionaire Gleb Fetisov became last weekend co-chairmen of the Alliance of Greens and Social Democrats

MOSCOW, January 27. /ITAR-TASS World Service/. Gleb Fetisov-led Alliance of Greens — People’s Party has united at a congress on Saturday with four almost unknown parties of Gennady Gudkov’s Social Democrats of Russia, Freedom and Justice, Kolokol (“bell”) and the Party of Free Citizens.

Oppositionist Gennady Gudkov and billionaire Gleb Fetisov became last weekend co-chairmen of the Alliance of Greens and Social Democrats, as a new structure is now called, Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily noted. Former prefect of a Moscow district Oleg Mitvol became the chairman of the alliance’s central council.

Former lawmakers from the A Just Russia party that joined the party stated that the program was not a problem, but viability of the structure would depend on the degree of its independence from the Kremlin. “In fact, our program realizes the goals set by the Opposition Coordination Council — fair election, release of political prisoners from custody, change of political system,” State Duma deputy Dmitry Gudkov told the daily. Gudkov and MP Ilya Ponomarev were included in the political council of the united party.

The former deputies of the A Just Russia party explained their transition to the greens with practical considerations. In view of possible split in RPR-PARNAS the Alliance is prepared to propose to activists who got disappointed with this structure a registered brand and good funding. Gleb Fetisov put it clearly that he is prepared to fund all oppositionists that joined the party, particularly over election in the Moscow City Duma.

Experts have different views over the just-created Alliance. For instance, head of the law chair of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, political expert Boris Nadezhdin told Novye Izvestia daily that he predicts transition of A Just Russia members, particularly supporters of Gudkov the Sr. who are discontent with the policy of their top party functionaries, under leadership of the former party member. Gennady Gudkov was expelled from the A Just Russia party last March for membership in the Opposition Coordination Council. In autumn 2012 he was stripped of deputy mandate.

On the other hand, fervent enthusiasm of creators of the party may not meet its real prospects, Deputy Director General of the Centre of Political Technologies Alexei Makarkin believes. The political expert explained to the daily that the future of the Alliance of Greens and Social Democrats can depend in this case only from Gennady Gudkov. To put it more precisely, for Kremlin’s attitude to him. “State authorities do not object obviously to Fetisov’s candidature, but Gudkov already may evoke some discontent or questions in first ranks of the party,” Makarkin stated.

Itar-Tass is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews.

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