DATE=1/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / PUTIN (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258146
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian opinion polls released Monday show
that a majority of Russians overwhelmingly support
Acting President Vladimir Putin in the coming
presidential elections March 26th. V-O-A Moscow
correspondent Eve Conant reports many Russians seems
undisturbed by his past history as an active-duty
officer in the KGB.
TEXT: With presidential elections just over two
months away, Acting President Vladimir Putin seems to
be ahead of his competition by a wide margin. In two
just-released polls, a majority of Russians say they
believe the 47-year old former KGB operative is the
man who will improve Russia's economy and keep the
nation strong.
One opinion poll carried out in 40 regions of the
Russian Federation shows more than three fourths of
Russia's population has a positive attitude toward Mr.
Putin's presidential aims. More than thirty percent
of Russians believe Mr. Putin will promote democracy.
However, according to the poll, more than ten percent
believe a Putin presidency could lead to the creation
of a totalitarian regime in Russia.
Before becoming prime minister and then acting
president, Vladimir Putin was head of Russia's Federal
Security Services - the main successor agency to the
Soviet-era KGB. In the mid-1970's, Mr. Putin began a
15 year career with the KGB, which included service as
an active agent serving in East Germany. There is
little information about his KGB activities. But
despite decades of KGB repression in Russia, people
like 40-year old Alexander Nikolayevich do not judge
Mr. Putin harshly for working within the agency.
///Act Nikolayevich in Russian in full and fade
under///
He says, "When former security officers were in power
there was more order. Our children could safely go
outside." He says, "But I don't think (having Mr.
Putin as president) means there will be return to
policies like we had under Stalin."
Many people interviewed in an informal survey by V-O-A
agreed Mr. Putin's security service background would
help bring order to Russia. A 32-year old woman named
Angela - who was nervous about giving her last name -
says Mr. Putin's KGB background means he has a good
character.
/// Act Angela in Russian and fade under ///
"The KGB people were always decent," she says. "Of
course there were some exceptions, but in my opinion,
his KGB service is an advantage."
In another opinion poll just released in a leading
Russian business newspaper, over half of the financial
elite interviewed said Russia's economy would improve
under Mr. Putin. But many average Russians, like Igor
Petrovitch, are able to say little about Mr. Putin's
economic program other than that he believes things
will somehow get better.
///Act Petrovitch in Russian in full and fade under///
"I will vote for Mr. Putin," he says. "He is young and
flexible. He can do something for us, I think he will
do something." Like the others, Mr. Petrovitch says he
believes Vladimir Putin remembers order and discipline
from his KGB days and will once again bring order to
Russia.
As acting president, Mr. Putin has promised slight
increases in salaries for government workers and
pensions for Russia's elderly. 40-year old housewife
Tatyana Vladimirovna says her pensioner mother is
already getting a little more money each month.
///Act Vladimirovna in Russian in full and fade
under///
"I think within a few years, Mr. Putin will improve
our economy," she says. But she adds that she hopes
prices will go down before that. She says the acting
president's KGB background does not change her
positive impression of Mr. Putin. (Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/KL
17-Jan-2000 12:55 PM EDT (17-Jan-2000 1755 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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