Alexander Lukashenko was elected to be the President of Belarus for the next term causing a wave of protest events organized by the opposition. Dmitry Medvedev visited India and concluded a number of important agreements. The week was also marked by a live interview the Russian President gave to the representatives of the main federal channels of the country. Find out more in the weekly expert review of events by FederalPress.
Alexander Lukashenko was elected to be the President of Belarus for the next term causing a wave of protest events organized by the opposition. Dmitry Medvedev visited India and concluded a number of important agreements. The week was also marked by a live interview the Russian President gave to the representatives of the main federal channels of the country. Find out more in the weekly expert review of events by FederalPress.
Old new president
Alexander Lukashenko has been elected President of Belarus once again. He gathered 79.67 percent of votes. His nine opponents collected a little less or a little over two percent of votes.
Even though Central election and referendum commission did not receive any complains regarding legality of the procedure, a wave of protest events occurred throughout the country. Seven out of nine opponents of Lukashenko were detained.
Oppositional candidate Vladimir Neklyaev was beaten and hospitalized with craniocerebral injury. 600 people total were taken in during clashes between the oppositionists and security forces in Minsk.
Council of the Federation member Nikolai Kondratenko travelled as an observer to many election sites and shared his opinion with FederalPress,
“There was the strictest order everywhere! Everything went on as usual. I participated in many elections, in cities and towns, in republic and independent states, and I can say that presidential elections in Belarus were organized in the best way, I’ve never seen a more precise execution of legal norms.”
“It is sad that in Russian mass media we hear negative comments about elections in Belarus. Those who pay order the music? Who pays then?”
Russian-Indian talks
Dmitry Medvedev started official visit to India on December 21, 2010. During the first day a package of 30 documents was signed in New Delhi.
One of the important papers is Memorandum of Understanding on Research and Technology Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy signed by general director of the State Corporation “ROSATOM” Sergey Kirienko and nuclear energy commission chairman Srikumar Banerjee.
According to the Memorandum, Russia will build 18 blocks for nuclear power stations, i.e. at least 6 blocks on each site.
Two states are planning to design a fast neutron nuclear power reactor of the new generation together, Sergey Kirienko reports. Russia is interested to develop thorium fuel cycle since India possesses one of the largest thorium deposits on the planet.
A fifth-generation fighter design contract was signed by the general director of Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaikin and chairman of the corporation “Hindustan Aeronautics Limited” Ashok Nayak.
Energy Minister of Russia Sergey Shmatko and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India Murli Deora signed an agreement of cooperation in the sphere of oil and gas.
Minister of Education and Science of Russia Andrey Fursenko and Minister of Science and Technology of India Kapil Sibal signed a complex long-term cooperation program on science, technology and innovations.
Mayor of Moscow speaks live
Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin appeared live on TV last week and responded questions, denied rumors, spoke about ethnic tension and covered other acute issues of life in the Russian capital.
Accounts Chamber of Russia will provide a report on anti-corruption work results by the end of 2010, mayor reported. It concerns the case of illegal earnings and misuse of budget money in the Moscow Metro. Council of the Federation Chairman Sergey Mironov also did not give any clues as to where investigation was leading.
Mayor denied rumors quite widely spread in the blogs such as freezing pensions and salaries to budget sphere workers, eviction of pensioners from the center of Moscow and cancellation of trolleybus routes in the center.
Speaking about Manezh Square, Sergey Sobyanin promised that such events would be strictly suppressed and gave positive assessment to the effectiveness of Moscow police. The mayor also acknowledged, there are ethnic problems in need of attention and acceptable solutions.
Ethnicity-related crimes
Special police division dealing with ethnicity-related crime might be soon established in Moscow. The head of Moscow police Vladimir Kolokoltsev spoke with the public last week and was broadcast live by a number of federal TV-channels.
70 percent of crimes in the Russian capital are committed by non-residents, the head of police reported but refused to decipher what stands behind this figure.
Special measures will be employed against drivers who work in the public transport system without a proper license.
As FederalPress was told in the press service of the Council of the Federation, vice-speaker Alexander Torshin commented on the new initiative of the police,
“A criminal has no ethnic affiliation. All citizens are equal in the face of law irrespective of there nationality and confession. Punishment for a criminal is not reduced or reinforced depending on the religious beliefs or ethnic background”, Alexander Torshin underlined.
In his opinion, it makes more sense to establish a special police division to deal with organized crime groups formed by ethnic characteristics.
Investigation Committee
State Duma of Russia adopted a package of laws on Investigation Committee in the last reading on December 22, 2010. According to the President’s initiative, Investigation Committee has legally become a separate state body. It used to be part of the General Prosecution of Russia.
Legal norms, tasks, principles of work, financial and technical basis of the new body will come into effect on January 15, 2010.
The Investigation Committee will work with the grave crimes (murders) and gender-related crimes, Vladimir Pligin, chairman of the State Duma Committee on constitutional legislation and state building, commented.
State Duma deputy and vice-chairman of the state security committee Vladimir Kolesnikov provided a brief comment to FederalPress. According to Kolesnikov, this new body will have similar powers with FBI and people can expect firm actions from it.
Dmitry Medvedev speaks live
Friday, December 24, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev spoke live about the results of 2010. His interviewers were Konstantin Ernst of Channel One, Oleg Dobrodeev of Rossiya and Vladimir Kulistikov of NTV, the heads of three main federal TV channels. This is the third annual interview of Dmitry Medvedev.
The President identified five most memorable images of 2010. They are recovery from the world crisis, new approach to children’s problems, summer drought and forest fires, global security and 65th anniversary of the victory in the Civil War.
Speaking about the New START Treaty and about Russian-American relations in general, Dmitry Medvedev expressed hope that “American society and the American establishment have enough tact and perseverance to keep the reset on course”.
The President of Russia also paid attention to the pace of economy modernization. He regretted it was yet not fast enough. He will take further care of the social sphere development, children’s issues, salaries to professional military service officers, as well as Egor Sviridov’s murder investigation and punishment of organizers of the riot on Manezh Square.
The work of the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin received high evaluation. Dmitry Medvedev expressed his trust in the mayor and his ability to put the city in order, to fight against corruption and transport collapse, and to create a comfortable competitive environment.
Senator of Sverdlovsk Region in the Council of the Federation gave a brief interview to FederalPress regarding the President’s interview,
“Yes, our President is right, Internet goes ahead of television in many aspects, it highlights acute daily issues more effectively and that is why it’s so attractive. First hand information from remote places reaches the Kremlin, the White House, and the Federal Assembly momentarily. One has to focus on what’s going on in the regions, in towns and rural communities and put this for general discussion”.