The First Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction Sergei Ivanenko declared that politicisation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office is inadmissible.

In an interview with journalists on December 13 he said that “recently the actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office have been reminiscent of a functioning political mechanism.”

Ivanenko said that this was characterised by the actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Head of the Media-Most Holding Company, Vladimir Gusinsky. Even though an amicable agreement between Media-Most and Gazprom had been signed, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is continuing criminal proceedings on this case,” said Ivanenko. He also added that “at the same time the Mabetex case was closed”. (Ed. there have been allegations that Pavel Borodin, at the time head of the presidential department, received backhanders from the company responsible for refurbishing the Kremlin)

Ivanenko also said that “the functions and the role of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in our society” should be examined closely.. According to Ivanenko, the Public Prosecutor’s Office should be an institution of a civil society, “rather than an instrument,

even that of the President. Ivanenko also recollected that the Yabloko and Union of Right-Wing Forces factions submitted to the State Duma a draft law “On the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the RF”. This is a new version of the law, and “we shall struggle for its adoption,” stressed Ivanenko.

Based on Interfax reports.