NationStates Jolt Archive


Putin increases his power following Beslan siege

Dniester
14-09-2004, 06:09
Putin Moves to Strengthen Kremlin's Power

Russian President Moves to Strengthen Kremlin's Grip on Power in Wake of Terrorist Attacks

The Associated Press

MOSCOW Sept. 13, 2004 — Responding to a spate of deadly terror attacks, President Vladimir Putin announced a series of anti-terror initiatives Monday that would strengthen the Kremlin's grip on every layer of Russian political life.

Putin told Cabinet members and security officials convened in special session that the future of Russia was at stake, and called for creation of a powerful anti-terror agency.

"The organizers and perpetrators of the terror attack are aiming at the disintegration of the state, the breakup of Russia," he said. "We need a single organization capable of not only dealing with terror attacks but also working to avert them, destroy criminals in their hideouts and, if necessary, abroad."

Despite the plans for the new anti-terrorism agency, the proposals were short on security measures, focusing instead on electoral changes, including the elimination of popularly elected governors and an overhaul of the way Russians elect their parliament a measure likely to increase the control of the dominant, pro-Kremlin faction.

Critics called the measures a blow to democracy, and warned that Putin's reliance on top-down control ultimately could weaken the nation by driving those in power further from the citizens they rule.

Some critics also suggested that Putin's decision to focus on electoral changes was a sign he lacks practical ideas about protecting Russia after a series of stunning terror attacks blamed on Chechen rebels, climaxing in the school siege that killed more than 330 people.

Putin said he would propose legislation abolishing the election of local governors by popular vote. Instead they would be nominated by the president and confirmed by local legislatures removing the last vestiges of local autonomy.

Putin explained his actions as necessary to streamline and strengthen the executive branch to make it more capable of combating terror.

But his critics immediately assailed the proposal as a self-destructive effort that could fuel dissent in the provinces.

"Today, all the power agencies that are supposed to fight terrorism are subordinated directly to the president ... It's incomprehensible why on top of that he has to name governors," Sergei Mitrokhin, a leading member of the liberal Yabloko faction, told Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio. "It shows that the president doesn't know what to do, he's at a loss."

Since taking office in 1999, Putin has constantly worked to rein in independent-minded governors. He hasalready tossed them out of Russia's upper house of parliament and made them subservient to the seven regional envoys he appointed.

Sergei Markov, a political analyst with close ties to the Kremlin, said the president's move against the governors could help curb corruption that has flourished in some regions.

"At the same time, it means ... a lowering of (their) general political authority and a serious lowering of political pluralism," Markov told Ekho Moskvy radio.

In another move aimed at strengthening the federal authorities, Putin recommended eliminating the individual races that now fill half of the seats in the national parliament and have the entire lower house filled by parties on a proportional basis.

Putin said that the move would help foster dialogue by expanding the clout of political parties, but his opponents warned that it would further increase the clout of the Kremlin-controlled parliament factions that already have an overwhelming majority in the State Duma.

Vladimir Ryzhkov, one of the few opposition deputies in the State Duma, scorned the president's political proposals and said if they were approved, "the next Duma will be simply virtual, it will consist of just marionette party lists and won't enjoy any authority."

A new structure called the Public Chamber would strengthen public oversight of the government and the actions of law enforcement agencies, Putin said.

Although Putin has been criticized for strengthening his own powers in the past, three weeks of terrorist violence and the deaths of 430 people have led to increased support among the Russian people for measures to combat terrorism.

Putin said official corruption that had helped terrorists such as the issuing of documents "leading to grave consequences," should be punished with particular severity. He also signaled that a government crackdown on Islamic groups could be planned, proposing that extremist organizations serving as a cover for terrorists should be outlawed.

Putin named one of his closest confidants, Cabinet chief of staff Dmitry Kozak, to represent him in the southern district that includes the Caucasus.

The Russian president said that terrorism is rooted in the low living standards in the North Caucasus, in widespread unemployment and in poor education.

"This is a rich fertile ground for the growth of extremist propaganda and the recruitment of new supporters of terror," Putin said. "The North Caucasus is a key strategic region for Russia. It is a victim of terrorism and also a springboard for it."
Helioterra
14-09-2004, 09:48
I was amazed that this alarming turn was pretty much ignored by most television channels. Don't they realize what Putin is saying? If U.S. can make defensive attacks on foreign countries Russian can make them too. They want to attack countries where many terrorists live. And 'couse Russian is not dependent on foreign oil, it could very easily attack Saudi Arabia. Think about that. Of course they won't but just think about how much U.S. government would freak.

Putin is slowly (or actually very rapidly) gaining more and more power to himself and even the last bits of democracy are now fading as in the name of war against terrorism, everything is allowed.
Kybernetia
14-09-2004, 10:37
I was amazed that this alarming turn was pretty much ignored by most television channels. Don't they realize what Putin is saying? If U.S. can make defensive attacks on foreign countries Russian can make them too. They want to attack countries where many terrorists live. And 'couse Russian is not dependent on foreign oil, it could very easily attack Saudi Arabia. Think about that. Of course they won't but just think about how much U.S. government would freak.
Putin is slowly (or actually very rapidly) gaining more and more power to himself and even the last bits of democracy are now fading as in the name of war against terrorism, everything is allowed.
President Putin is using this issue as pretext to concentrate all powers to himself. In the Yeltsin era the regions were pretty independent. The division of powers was not just horizontal (executive, legilative, judicary) but also vertical (central government, local governments). While the balance of powers didn´t work properly (especially not in the case of the judicary) it needs to be said that the vertical balance of power did work.
It worked even too much. Some regions took more independence than the constitutition allows them to have. In order to stop that President Putin established seven administrative sectors with administrators appointed by him which observe that the region follow the federal law.
This reform did stop violations by some regions against federal law. But it did not infringe their rights and independence within the Russian Federation. Up till now the heads of the regions are elected by the people.
In future they are appointed by the President (and formally "elected" by the regional parliaments (but only does suggested by the President can be elected):
This system allows President Putin to get rid of all potential political rivals which may challenge him in the future.
To get rid of them or to force them to back down.
This is a "reform" under false pretext, which is only designed to concentrate all power on the side of the president. Russia is more and more developing into a presidential dictatorship.
And if we speak about preventive strikes - Georgia would be the potential target, since there are a lot of Chechens refugees. Georgia needs to do more against islamists and terrorists among this group.
Helioterra
14-09-2004, 10:51
And if we speak about preventive strikes - Georgia would be the potential target, since there are a lot of Chechens refugees. Georgia needs to do more against islamists and terrorists among this group.

What would be the most effective act against terrorism in Russian is to get rid of the corruption. Military actions against other countires is useless if your own soldiers let terrorist trough borders and check up -points for few dollars.
Drabikstan
14-09-2004, 11:06
And if we speak about preventive strikes - Georgia would be the potential target, since there are a lot of Chechens refugees. Georgia needs to do more against islamists and terrorists among this group. U.S. says some Chechen rebels still hide in Georgia

TBILISI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Chechen rebels with links to international terrorists are still hiding in a remote part of Georgia, the U.S. ambassador said on Monday, backing longstanding accusations by Russia.

Ambassador Richard Miles said the rebels were hiding in the Pankisi Gorge, which Russia has said serves as a base for attacks on Russian forces in Chechnya over the border.

Russia has vowed redoubled efforts against separatists after a series of attacks, including a school siege that killed more than 320 hostages, half of them children. It says it will strike "terrorist bases" abroad and analysts believe that Georgia could be a prime target.

"There are still a few international terrorists in the vicinity of the Pankisi Gorge. Prior to the restoration of Georgian government authority in the Pankisi Gorge, there was what we consider to be a significant handful of international terrorists," Miles told journalists.

"We believe that due to the actions of the Georgian authorities, that number has been significantly diminished, by at least two-thirds."

Russia and Georgia have long disagreed over the issue, with Moscow accusing its small southern neighbour of taking insufficient action to turf out rebel bases.

Two years ago, Georgian authorities said military operations had flushed all rebels from the gorge and objected to any suggestion of Russia taking action of its own.

Tracking down insurgents has taken on a new importance for Russia after the siege and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said he believes the United States was well-placed to understand Russian policy after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Miles said no further military action was needed in Georgia, saying it was "a matter for the internal security services".

After meeting Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, Miles said the United States was working with Georgian security forces to find remaining rebels in Pankisi. U.S. military trainers have been helping Georgia modernise its armed forces for more than a year.

There was no word on any joint operation from Georgia, which says there is no proof that rebels are still on its territory.

"There have been no fighters or terrorists in Pankisi for a long time," Interior Minister Irakly Okruashvili said.
Helioterra
14-09-2004, 11:11
Officials in Tbilisi are adamant that no Chechens have crossed into Georgia and that the borders along the snow-peaked Caucasus mountains are under full control.

The question, they say, is whether Russia will choose to believe them.

As sad as it is, noone will believe that. Those borders haven't ever been under full control and in the state Georgia is at the moment, it won't be under full control.
Accrued Constituencies
14-09-2004, 11:22
Putinochet
Drabikstan
14-09-2004, 11:32
lol
Drabikstan
15-09-2004, 18:26
As sad as it is, noone will believe that. Those borders haven't ever been under full control and in the state Georgia is at the moment, it won't be under full control. Yeah, I feel sorry for the Georgians.
Joey P
15-09-2004, 18:34
If Russia attacks Saudi, let them. Those wahabis have it coming for spreading hate that breeds attrocities like Beslan and 9/11.
The Black Forrest
15-09-2004, 18:46
Why are you surprised?

The idiot Chechens and Jihaadis at Beslan played right into his hands.