Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction in the State Duma Sergei Ivanenko thinks that the results of the first year of Vladimir Putin’s presidency may be assessed from different positions.

Ivanenko compared this period with the monument to ex-communist party leader Nikita Khruschyov by Ernest Neizvestniy, “The sculptor intended to mark both the positive and negative attributes of the ex-Soviet leader, casting half the sculpture in white and the other half in black.”

According to Ivanenko, the economic policies of President Putin may be assessed with “cautious optimism”. Yabloko’s representative also stressed that it was Vladimir Putin’s “good luck that oil prices have been maintained at a high level for a long period already.”

Ivanenko also thinks that the head of the state “has a general understanding on the direction in which he needs to move here,” which is reflected in the innovations in taxation and the economic section of the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly. At the same time Ivanenko noted that “more serious and deeper liberal economic transformations” need to be implemented in Russia.

The past year was also marked by federal reforms, said Ivanenko. In his opinion, it should be assessed from two viewpoints, “it is 50% positive and 50% negative”. Ivanenko added: “The arbitrary rule of the regional barons had to be stopped, and this was basically achieved; but the decisions adopted to reform the Federation Council transformed the latter into a department of the Presidential Administration both in political and legislative terms.”

Ivanenko also said that, as well as legislative restrictions on the unlawful actions of governors and the legal resolutions to the issue of their dismissal from the post of governor for unlawful actions, provisions for their election for third and fourth terms were approved.

Ivanenko paid special attention to the attitude of the authorities to the mass media, noting: “it was a year of unprecedented pressure on the mass media.” Ivanenko added: “This does not concern only NTV, which is the most transparent demonstration of this pressure. The main issue is the creation of a sense of universal suspiciousness and fear of journalists before the authorities.”

Ivanenko added: “To sum up the general results we can say that “we still hope that we may influence the policiesof the President.”

Based on Interfax reports.