| Forum
2000: The Rule of Law in Russia
Grigory Yavlinsly's speech,
October 10, 2011
...The panel examined the absence
of rule of law in Russia. The keynote speaker Grigory
Yavlinsky distinguished this absence by the lack of
independent justice, the influence of the political
elite and of money. He identified three root causes
of the problem: the 1917 state coup in which “a criminal
group of people were taking power in Russia,” the
privatization process of the 1990s, and the support
of the international community for the political and
economic reforms of the 1990s. Mr. Yavlinsky also
stated that “Russia’s corruption is a joint venture
with the West.”
William Browder then spoke on the possibility of international
action putting pressure on the Russian political elite
to interrupt this joint venture. While Grigory Yavlinsky
later reiterated the importance of initiating change
from within Russia, stating that Russian “politicians
all know, personally, that it is [their] task to change
the system.” Vadim Klyuvgant followed with an analysis
of the Russian “dictate of law.” He insisted on individual
human rights as a foundation for rule of law.
Bobo Lo continued the discussion with a distinction
between the notions of “rule of law” and “rule by
law” which prevails in Russia. He defined this concept
as the “use and abuse, particularly, of laws and administrative
regulations to support power rather than justice.”
The panel recognized the validity of Yavlinsky’s view
that “there is no rule of law in Russia and we must
implement it.”... |
| 
It
is time for Putin to make up his mind
A complete version of Grigory Yavlinsky's article
published in an abbreviated version in "Forbes", No.
4, July 2004
If you open the newspapers, what are the economic
topics in the headings? Tax problems, social privileges,
GNP rates. However, everybody knows that you can improve
the tax system indefinitely, develop new forms of
mortgages and "mop up" banks, but all other
measures are pointless until you resolve once and
for all, clearly and unequivocally property issues.
A political and legal estimate of privatisation in
the mid-1990s is the main economic issue today. President
Putin should finally make up his mind. Otherwise nothing
will be achieved.
Selling
Out Russia's Forests
By Boris Kagarlitsky, The Moscow Times, July 1, 2004
Russia is bracing itself for the privatization of
its forests. The crucial step in this process will
be the new Forestry Code, a draft of which is to be
considered by the State Duma in the near future.
Democracy,
In Putin's Own Words
Editorial, The Moscow Times, October 9, 2003
President Vladimir Putin, in interviews given to foreign
journalists just before and after his recent trip
to the United States, offered his most detailed comments
to date on the ongoing Yukos saga and, more broadly,
on the relationship between the state and business.
Human
Capital Is the Basis for Economic Growth
By Griogry Yavlinsky, RTR television channel, "Vesti"
programme, October 5, 2003
As we know, economic growth has many factors, but
in most cases we are talking about taxes, the economic
structure and conjuncture.
Grigory
Yavlinsky calls for an amnesty of the privatisation
deals of the 1990s
Buro Pravovoi Informatsii, October 2, 2003
According to Yavlinsky, the present economic situation
demonstrates "the need to legitimatise privatisation".
Putin
opposes revision of privatisation results
Gazeta.ru, October 2, 2003
Commenting on the idea of Grigory
Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko party, to declare
an amnesty on privatisation, Putin noted that it was
necessary to translate this idea into reality correctly
from legal and political points of view, something
which is hard to do.
The
Russian Economy Is Growing, But Not Developing
By Anna Skornyakova, Nezavisymaya Gazeta, October
6, 2003
Yavlinsky was also concerned about the dependency
of the Russian economy on the "pipe", "The
impulse from the raw-materials sector does not spread
to other sectors. We don't have an independent judiciary,
independent parliament or mass media, civil control
over secret services, and now are witnessing a merger
between business and the authorities. This system
restricts our economic growth and should be dismantled."
President
Putin: It's a Good Idea, It's a Correct Idea
By Vitaly Ivanov and Alexander Bekker, Vedomosti,
September 29, 2003
While in the United States, President Vladimir Putin
again spoke out against renationalisation and approved
of the idea of an amnesty for capital. The Russian
tax authorities had criticised this idea in spring.
Putin met teachers and students of the University
of Columbia on September 26. The Russian President
was asked about his attitude to "plans for renationalisation
or... proposals... announced by Grigory
Yavlinsky".
Grigory
Yavlinsky: Russian politics is deliberately being
transformed into a farce
Interview with Grigory Yavlinsky by Tatyana Chesnokova,
Rosbalt, September 25, 2003
"This situation has been deliberately created
to make less and less people engage actively in politics
and lead more and more of the population to readily
accept decision-making on their behalf by third parties".
Reforms
that corrupted Russia
By Grigory Yavlinsky, Financial Times (UK), September
3, 2003
In those years two Marxist dogmas, albeit disguised
in liberal phraseology, still shaped economic policy.
The first was... |
