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State, above all, should ensure rights and freedoms of citizens
Itar-Tass ^ | 18.12.2003, 17.49

Posted on 12/22/2003 4:18:48 PM PST by RussianConservative

MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) - The state, above all, should ensure rights and freedoms of its citizens in the present-day world, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday during a live question and answer session with Russians over television and radio.

“This is not an abstract meaning for Russia,” he noted. “Strengthening of democracy is of practical importance for Russia. We have recently adopted a law on political parties. The general elections have just been staged. We have created a unique situation in history, under which we can create a viable multi-party system with a powerful right-wing centre and with a left-wing centre in the form of a social-democratic idea and with their supporters and allies on both flanks – from the right and the left or even with marginal groups and parties. This has become a real task. A feasible task in the near future.”

Of course, the Russian leader continued, nothing can be done without effective economic development. According to Putin, rates of economic growth are planned for the next year at a level of five-odd percent, cleared of super-profits for oil prices. Besides, it is necessary to continue the tax reform. The tax burden on the economy should be slashed.

Specific steps have been planned from January 1, 2004. For instance, the added-value tax will be cut from 20 to 18 percent, while the five-percent tax on trade will be ditched altogether. Big trading chains promised simultaneously to cut prices, starting from January 1, 2004. “We shall see how they will hold their promise,” the president warned.

But it is necessary also to resolve some other questions, the head of state continued. It is necessary to take amendments to the Tax and Budget Code so that the package of previously adopted laws on delimiting powers between levels of power should work with a swing. It is necessary to put things in order between federal, regional and local levels of power. Then, people will feel changes in the quality of services, offered to them – services in the housing and utilities sphere, public education and the public health service.

A very important set of questions is connected with improvement of nature conservancy, Putin noted. It is necessary to adopt a water code, a forest code and a range of laws on use of the earth’s entrails. It is necessary to stop squandering of national resources and to put things in order with their use. It is necessary to start, at long last, a full-scale administrative reform, and it is necessary to boost substantially the sphere of mortgage crediting.

“Here is an incomplete task, facing us in 2004 in the economic sphere,” the Russian chief executive said. “We shall strengthen the army, and I hope that Russia’s position in the world will consolidate subsequently.

“Last but not least, we should never forget the task, I put in my Address to the Nation: efforts to do away with poverty. More than 30 millions of our citizens have incomes below the living wage. The government has done something in this direction. We know how these millions were broken down by categories: the number of working able-bodied population among them, the number of people who lost work temporarily and how many invalids who are in need of special care from the state.

“All this is known now. It is clear how much money is needed to settle this problem, and time which will be needed to settle this problem. It is only necessary to work insistently and persistently. There are all possibilities for this. I’d like to express confidence that these tasks will be resolved.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; Russia
KEYWORDS: russia

1 posted on 12/22/2003 4:18:49 PM PST by RussianConservative
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To: RussianConservative
State, above all?, should guarantee rights? That's a rather interesting phrasing. Oh, here's the answer: "Last but not least, we should never forget the task, I put in my Address to the Nation: efforts to do away with poverty." Now we know what his concept of "rights" are. Sounds very familiar for some reason...
2 posted on 12/22/2003 4:24:02 PM PST by inquest (The only problem with partisanship is that it leads to bipartisanship)
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To: inquest
State, above all?, should guarantee rights? That's a rather interesting phrasing.

I understand your suspicion but in this case it appears to be unfounded. Keep in mind that this is an English-translation of something said in Russian, so you shouldn't read too much into the "phrasing".

You put a question mark after "above all" but I believe that's an unfair and probably inaccurate parsing. You make it sound like he said "State above all". Maybe he was saying something more like, "The primary responsibility [i.e. the responsibility above all others] of the state is to ensure rights".

If so, that would not be at all out of line with what the U.S. Founding Fathers thought:

all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,

Finally you insinuate that Putin has in mind only positive rights, and thus (I guess) is too socialistic, because he notices Russian poverty. But poverty is not something the Russian President should not notice. Moreover, if anyone is moving in a more socialistic direction, it's us, not Russia. Russia still is considerably socialistic (i.e. state run health care, most people live in some kind of public housing), but notice that Putin said (as the article reports) "The tax burden on the economy should be slashed." That alone should make you rethink your assumptions. Best,

3 posted on 12/22/2003 4:36:22 PM PST by Dr. Frank fan
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To: RussianConservative
The general elections have just been staged

I knew it!! We got you this time, Putin! Big mistake admitting this in public! ;)

4 posted on 12/22/2003 4:55:17 PM PST by Metternich
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To: RussianConservative
State, above all, should protect it Citizens; after that it should avoid infringing Citizens rights.
5 posted on 12/22/2003 5:06:37 PM PST by Libertarianize the GOP (Ideas have consequences)
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To: RussianConservative
“Strengthening of democracy is of practical importance..."

All well and good as far as it goes. But I wouldn't confuse that with what the American Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the US Constitution. Democracy is no guarantee of individual rights - only by severely limiting government authority can rights be "secured" - and this mostly "at the point of a gun" from a well-armed (and prepared to use them) citizenry. That's why the US is a Constitutional Republic - not a pure democracy. All governments tend toward tyranny when left to their own devices.

6 posted on 12/22/2003 5:25:32 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: Dr. Frank
You make decent points. I jumped the gun a little. There is one thing from your post, though:

But poverty is not something the Russian President should not notice.

It's one thing to consider it something of concern, but something very different to talk about "doing away" with poverty. It's like trying to do away with human imperfection. A state which commits itself towards that goal will never realize it, but would likely cause plenty of suffering along the way.

7 posted on 12/22/2003 5:28:22 PM PST by inquest (The only problem with partisanship is that it leads to bipartisanship)
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To: RussianConservative
The State cannot issue, nor deny "rights." The "State" is SEVERYLY LIMITED because the "Rights" of the people reside within the PEOPLE, not within the state. Another Socialist attact upon America...You must understand...YOUR rights are not "issued" from the "government."

Go back and read the "Bill of Rights"...if a government fails to meet the needs of the citizenry...then REPLACE that government with another.

Please excuse my outrage...
The Socialist Commiie News can kiss my Texas Butt!

I guess I am on another rant..I just HATE the ones who would attact our country.

Happy Freeping to you,
Happy Freeping to you,
Happy Freeping...Dear America...
Happy Freeping to you.

AMERICA is the light in a world of darkness...
All of the "Godless" societies (Islam, Communisism, Facsism (?), all tell us of how the STATE is more important than the individual. Not so!

GOD tells us that WE are more important to Him...than ANY government...than ANY program.

Do you know how to listen.

listen to His voice...

(Here I go with another rant)
I love you all.
8 posted on 12/22/2003 5:35:07 PM PST by TheJollyRoger (America..Tthe home of the brave (Democrat coward socialist pervert molestors need not apply!))
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To: Metternich
You do realize that they translate staged as "to have happened or occured", right? Oh, guess not. Well root for ousted Communists and Oligarchs if like.
9 posted on 12/22/2003 5:57:37 PM PST by RussianConservative (Xristos: the Light of the World)
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To: OldFriend; Sender; ralph rotten; Destro; MarMema; FormerLib; Pubbie; RusIvan; Long Cut; ...
Russian ping
10 posted on 12/22/2003 7:55:19 PM PST by RussianConservative (Xristos: the Light of the World)
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