Visit
United Russia's concerns over links with the European Parliament
The United Russia party is fine-tuning its contacts with Europe's conservatives, who are represented in the largest political group in the European Parliament. The leader of United Russia and Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin is helping to convince Europeans that it's worth cooperating with the Russian "bear".
The European Commission's press service in Russia has announced that a delegation from the EPP-ED Group (Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats) will be in Moscow for three days from the eleventh of February. Seven representatives of the group, the largest conservative political group in the European Parliament, will be coming to Moscow to meet members of the United Russia parliamentary party, as well as the State Duma Speaker, Boris Gryzlov. Vedomosti has been informed about the possibility that these European guests might meet Mr Putin. The Prime Minister's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said that no such meeting has been ruled out, and that it is currently under discussion: "It is a significant party, and such dialogue is considerably important."
Last week Mr Putin, as United Russia's leader, met with the President of the European People's Party (EPP), Wilfried Martens, and emphasised what he believes as the promising cooperation between his party and the EPP. Six months ago another leading bloc in the European Parliament, the Socialist Group, also met Mr Putin, but in his capacity of Prime Minister.
The head of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev (who leads international affairs in United Russia), has said that this time the meeting will take place in the format of inter-party talks. He said that the visit is at United Russia's initiative.
The issues under discussion are as follows: cooperation between the main parties, exchange of information, and preparation of a new agreement between Russia and the EU. Last week there was a discussion at party level about an agreement between United Russia and the European People's Party, as well as about, in the long term, offering Russia observer status in the European party. According to Mr Kosachev, observer status would help Russia communicate the Russian point of view to the European Parliament, via the conservative bloc. The Duma MP expects these matters to be raised during the visit.
The parliamentary party chairman of A Just Russia in the State Duma, Nikolai Levichev, notes that back in April 2008 his party agreed to work with the European Socialists - the second largest bloc in the European Parliament. To all appearances, United Russia has been instructed to develop inter-party ties, asserts Alexei Mitrofanov, who is responsible for A Just Russia's international affairs committee. "Events in Georgia and the gas war with Ukraine showed that we have no influence abroad - not a single European figure defended us," Mr Mitrofanov said.
Surkov on the crisis
Speaking at the Strategy 2020 forum, First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Executive Office Vladislav Surkov said that overcoming the crisis should not be the main objective; there is a need to focus on the long-term goals of development, he said. Mr Surkov said he fears that whoever asserted during the high oil price period, that all the economy requires is capital flow sterilisation, will need to develop their arguments further. The Kremlin official warned that there'll be less money around, and that politicians and industry bosses will have to get used to that.
Anastasia Kornia, Natalia Kostenko, Denis Malkov