| Yesterday the Duma delegation of the YABLOKO
faction handed Andrei Sharonov, RF Deputy Minister of Economic
Development and Trade, an alternative draft for reforming the
electricity sector of Russia. Before this ceremony Deputy Head
of the YABLOKO faction Igor Artemyev confirmed the willingness
of the faction to vote jointly against the concept proposed by
the government and recommended recalling the whole package of
draft laws on restructuring RAO UES, which had already been sent
by the Cabinet to the State Duma.
YABLOKO's opposition to the “Chubais” energy sector
reforms is nothing new to its developers. A month ago the Federal
Council of the party adopted a statement with the self-explanatory
title "On Political Adventeurism in Conducting Reform in
the Electricity Sector." The leader of YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky
informed President Vladimir Putin that the government draft was
irrelevant. According to YABLOKO's assessment, the government
draft had been "drafted under the dictatorship of RAO UES",
"contradicted the Constitution" and "legalises
illegal actions for the acquisition of property". The opponents
[of the government draft] think that this will culminate in the
"privatisation by the top management of RAO UES of the most
profitable assets in the electricity sector" and will lead
to the generation of excess profits, as management exercises its
"right to repeatedly raise tariffs." Therefore YABLOKO
expects the initiators of the concept to "guarantee consumer
rights", "protect the population from unjustified increases
in electricity tariffs," "guarantee privatisation transparency",
etc.
The package of draft laws for reforming the energy sector, submitted
to the State Duma, is not exactly what is called "the Chubais
draft". A tripartite commission consisting of representatives
from the Cabinet, the Federation Council and the State Duma worked
on the documents prepared by RAO UES for a long time. However,
according to deputies and experts, the improvements introduced
by the commission are "absolutely insufficient". Consequently
they put forward their own concept.
Persistent allegations of Yavlinsky's supporters against the
official draft for reform of the electricity sector represent
a serious test to the "strategic partnership" between
YABLOKO and the Union of Ring-Wing Forces (SPS) that the two parties
promise to consolidateconsolidate and develop on almost a weekly
basis. As Anatoli Chubais and his management position are dear
to the Union of Right-Wing forces, and declarations by Grigory
Yavlinsky and his supporters can hardly resemble "amicable
criticism", the SPS seriously questions any further cooperation
with YABLOKO. They fail to realise that YABLOKO is seeking above
all the dismissal of Chubais from RAO. Yavlinsky's faction cannot
do this on its own. However, it can be involved in this process
together with communists and members from the People's Deputy
Group, who also disliked the proposed concept. Consequently, a
pool may be formed. This will be enough to recognise recognise
the reformist activity of Chubais as publicly dangerous.
See also:
YABLOKO
and SPS
|
