Izvestia: "Putin strengthens Popular Front’s future MPs"
The prime minister promised that the United Russia party in the State Duma will get renewed by more than half its total body through the induction of new members and gave broad powers to representatives of the Russian Popular Front.
Vladimir Putin presided yesterday over United Russia's last inter-regional conference in Cherepovets before the party's national conference. He said he expected to see United Russia's composition in the State Duma to be renewed by more than half with new members from the Popular Front and from within the party itself. The Popular Front's members will also get a significant influence in the lawmaking process. They will participate in discussions of all priority draft legislation already at the autumn session, and the party leadership will be asked to regularly meet with the Front's coordination council.
"A significant number of seats will be taken by representatives of different social groups – doctors, teachers, engineers, workers, farmers, the military, retirees, and youth," Putin said. "Simultaneously, there will be many new politicians from the party itself."
United Russia representatives met their leader's announcement with applause, but their faces did not express all that much pleasure, as many incumbent Duma members will have to cede their mandates. And they will also have to make some room for the Front's candidates at regional elections: the prime minister asked them to hold primaries before regional campaigns and to give 25% of seats on the lists of candidates to the Popular Front.
However, the major thrust of Putin's speech at the conference was devoted to economic issues. He got so carried away that even referred to St Petersburg's new governor, Georgy Poltavchenko, as a candidate for the position. At first, the slip went unnoticed. But when a girl from St Petersburg addressed Putin, referring to the new governor's latest interview, the prime minister once again confirmed that he was unaware of the change in Poltavchenko's career.
"Why, has he already been appointed?" the prime minister looked sincerely surprised. "Has he? And I thought his nomination was only submitted to the president."
Poltavchenko blushed.
"How interesting, he has just been the president's plenipotentiary in the Central Federal District, and now he is the governor of St Petersburg. Is this a promotion or a demotion?" Putin said, tongue-in-cheek.
A crimson-faced Poltavchenko stood up and answered evasively, "It is a pleasure for me."
The prime minister's press secretary Dmitry Peskov assured Izvestia that Putin knew about the appointment of the new governor to his native city.
"Of course, he knew that Poltavchenko has been approved for the position," he told the newspaper. "It was a joke. Putin is well disposed towards the new governor and wishes him success."
When visiting Russian regions, the prime minister usually meets with governors. However, he has not yet scheduled a meeting with Poltavchenko. These plans are yet to be made, Peskov said. But Poltavchenko will accompany the premier for the launch of the first Nord Stream gas pipeline.
Vladimir Putin brought a lot of good news to social groups whose representatives are supposed to fill the parliament. He paid very close attention to doctors and teachers: the former were promised alluring bonuses for village work, and the latter, affordable mortgages. The prime minister proposed to pay 1 million roubles to young doctors who come to work in rural areas, provided they stay there for five years.
"Now that teachers' wages are coming closer to the average wage in the region, housing loans will become more affordable," he said. "We should provide for a special mortgage programme for young teachers, with a discount rate and a minimal down payment."
The interest rate on such loans could be 8.5% annually, Putin said. The down payment will be 10% and may be paid by regional authorities. The government estimates that the programme will reach 50,000-60,000 teachers. For other teachers, Putin proposed launching a project titled Teacher's Housing to build cooperative housing, with land provided by regional authorities free of charge.
Overall, the conference was very much like the previous ones. Dozens of people complained to the prime minister about their problems, United Russia presented its projects and Putin promised support to all of them. Peskov explained that Putin kept the most interesting proposals for the party's national conference that will take place at the end of September.
Anastasia Novikova
