| State Duma deputies listened to the report of the
heads of the securities agencies on progress with investigations
of highly public crimes - murders of politicians, businessmen, deputies
and journalist proceeds. According to a member of the Security Committee
of the State Duma Valeri
Ostanin, the report of the heads of security structures was
simply a formality.
The Public Prosecutor General began his speech with small details
on each murder: the type of gun used, how the individual was killed.
He even mentioned the factory serial number of the weapon and
virtually provided a full report of medical and criminal checks,
noted Ostanin. “But everyone was bewildered by his statement
that apparently up 98% of such murders are solved, even the most
public ones. It transpired that all the people responsible for
these killings have been identified and are even been sought intensely.
For example they have been looking for the killers of Galina Starovoitova,
and the names of the killers were known already on the day after
the crime. Director of the Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev
went even further- he even provided the addresses of some of the
killers. In addition, in his comments on the murder of Galina
Starovoitova he admitted that this murder was purely political
and that there were no personal connotations or links to any entrepreneurial
or other economic activity of the diseased. This is an exception:
in general our security ministries tend to accord every ordered
murder a financial motive. Thus, they let society know that another
victim of ordered murder participated in some financial intrigues.
In this case why bother finding the perpetrators of a murder on
someone who deserved such a punishment?
All attempts to reduce the murders to personal motives, crimes
of vengeance or financial factors have also been undertaken regarding
the murder of Sergei Yushenkov. The main question as to why the
people behind the crime and the actual killers have not been caught
remained unanswered."
State Secretary Vladimir Vasiliyev reported to the Duma on behalf
of the Interior Ministry. Ostanin also noted that the State-Secretary
referred to the well-known problems of the militia, poor technical
equipment, high staff turnover and fuel restrictions. Ostanin
added: At the meeting of our Committee we already spoke about
the militia’s spending of budget funds. We said that all
the funds allotted to militia are spent not on their declared
purposes, but rather on the purchase of expensive foreign-made cars and carpets for generals' cars, darkening of
windows and mobile telephones, state dachas and state flats. In
view of these circumstances, how are we meant to react to the
declarations of the heads of the Interior Ministry?"
Valeri Ostanin also noted that the meeting of the Duma took place
in a closed regime, even though there were no secrets that had
to be hidden from the public. "People should see their 'heroes'
in person. If murders of deputies are investigated in this way,
what can the general public hope for? We in the Duma once again
saw an example of a complete lack of professionalism."
Ostanin also stated the main reason for the current situation
– the corruption endemic in the law and enforcement agencies.
Everyone knows the size of the bribes that are taken for appointment
to posts in the law and enforcement agencies and the bribes paid
to close or open a criminal investigation to influence competitors.
Even statistics are bought and sold to enable an official to successfully
report the results of his work. Ostanin stressed: "Restructuring
will not yield any perform results, if there is no serious shake-out
of these structures and serious staff changes. However, the Duma
adopted a formal toothless resolution that is not binding on anyone.
We have only to hope that the head of the state will finally adopt
measures and will duly ask those subordinate to him to do their
jobs and will make conclusions on whether they are suitable for
their jobs or not."
See also:
Liberal
Russia's Yushenkov Shot Dead
| 