Putin seeks more power

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered sweeping changes yesterday to Russia’s political system to help combat terrorism, but immediately drew charges he was exploiting a bloody school siege to boost his personal power.

The Kremlin leader, speaking in the wake of the hostage drama in Beslan, told top officials he wanted a new election law to limit the number of political parties and to have full control over nominating regional leaders. Putin said the changes would give the state effective and united authority which was vital after the Beslan tragedy in which more than 320 people, half of them children, were killed in a hostage raid by Chechen rebels in North Ossetia.”The fight against terrorism should become a national task,” he told the joint meeting of government and governors from Russia’s 89 regions.But political opponents accused him of using the drama to shore up his own position.”Such proposals have nothing to do with the security of people of fighting terrorism,” Vladimir Ryzhkov, a liberal parliamentarian, said.”The Kremlin is simply using the momentum.”The drama in Beslan, following twin passenger plane crashes and a suicide bomb attack in Moscow that appeared to be the work of Chechen separatists, have raised questions over Putin’s strategy for handling the rebellion in Chechnya.In yesterday’s speech, he ordered a package of social and security moves to be worked out for southern Russia, which includes Chechnya, and appointed a trusted lieutenant Dmitry Kozak as his personal representative there.But he also said that the whole system of administrative power across the nation should be reviewed to meet the task of tackling the terrorism threat.Putin said the State Duma, parliament’s lower house, should now be elected solely on a party-list basis – a move that would slim down the current mosaic of small groups to a few strong political parties.At present half of the Duma’s 450 deputies are elected on party lists, while most of the independent candidates come from single-mandate local constituencies.The pro-Kremlin United Russia controls more than two-thirds of the Duma seats.”In the interests of strengthening the national political system I deem it necessary to introduce a proportional system of elections to the State Duma,” Putin said.”I will soon initiate an appropriate bill in the Duma.”Putin’s opponents say such electoral changes would lock in place the Kremlin’s domination of the legislative branch.”Putin has proposed renting out parliament to puppet Moscow-based parties,” said Ryzhkov, himself one of the few independent deputies in the Duma.”In fact this will only strengthen his personal powers.”Putin also said the Kremlin should have a decisive say over the nomination of regional governors.”Top officials in the members of the Federation should be elected by local legislative assemblies by nomination of the head of state,” Putin said.Independent-minded governors were a major force under Putin’s predecessor Boris Yeltsin, but Putin clipped their wings by ousting them from the Federation Council upper house and replacing them with nominated proxies.- Nampa-ReutersPutin said the changes would give the state effective and united authority which was vital after the Beslan tragedy in which more than 320 people, half of them children, were killed in a hostage raid by Chechen rebels in North Ossetia.”The fight against terrorism should become a national task,” he told the joint meeting of government and governors from Russia’s 89 regions.But political opponents accused him of using the drama to shore up his own position.”Such proposals have nothing to do with the security of people of fighting terrorism,” Vladimir Ryzhkov, a liberal parliamentarian, said.”The Kremlin is simply using the momentum.”The drama in Beslan, following twin passenger plane crashes and a suicide bomb attack in Moscow that appeared to be the work of Chechen separatists, have raised questions over Putin’s strategy for handling the rebellion in Chechnya.In yesterday’s speech, he ordered a package of social and security moves to be worked out for southern Russia, which includes Chechnya, and appointed a trusted lieutenant Dmitry Kozak as his personal representative there.But he also said that the whole system of administrative power across the nation should be reviewed to meet the task of tackling the terrorism threat.Putin said the State Duma, parliament’s lower house, should now be elected solely on a party-list basis – a move that would slim down the current mosaic of small groups to a few strong political parties.At present half of the Duma’s 450 deputies are elected on party lists, while most of the independent candidates come from single-mandate local constituencies.The pro-Kremlin United Russia controls more than two-thirds of the Duma seats.”In the interests of strengthening the national political system I deem it necessary to introduce a proportional system of elections to the State Duma,” Putin said.”I will soon initiate an appropriate bill in the Duma.”Putin’s opponents say such electoral changes would lock in place the Kremlin’s domination of the legislative branch.”Putin has proposed renting out parliament to puppet Moscow-based parties,” said Ryzhkov, himself one of the few independent deputies in the Duma.”In fact this will only strengthen his personal powers.”Putin also said the Kremlin should have a decisive say over the nomination of regional governors.”Top officials in the members of the Federation should be elected by local legislative assemblies by nomination of the head of state,” Putin said.Independent-minded governors were a major force under Putin’s predecessor Boris Yeltsin, but Putin clipped their wings by ousting them from the Federation Council upper house and replacing them with nominated proxies.- Nampa-Reuters