DATE=7/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / POLITICS (L)
NUMBER=2-264810
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia's upper house of parliament, the
Federation Council, has approved a bill that gives
President Vladimir Putin greater control over the
country's far-flung regions. V-O-A Moscow
correspondent Peter Heinlein reports regional leaders
voted for the measure even though it strips them of
many privileges, including their seats in parliament.
TEXT: The once-powerful regional chiefs seemed
resigned to their fate as they trooped in to the
Federation Council chamber to effectively vote
themselves out of their legislative jobs. By a margin
of 119 to 18, they approved a bill that restructures
the upper house, replacing themselves with appointed
legislators.
The controversial measure drew fierce opposition when
it was first announced. Lawmakers called it an attack
on Russia's federal structure.
During Wednesday's pre-vote debate, Nikolai Fyodorov,
head of the Chuvash republic, accused President
Vladimir Putin of pushing the measure to make him all-
powerful.
/// FYODOROV ACT IN RUSSIAN-ESTABLISH & FADE ///
He says, "It now turns out that we have a society in
which the will of the emperor, or the will of the
president, is above the constitution, just as the
opinion of Kremlin bureaucrats is more important than
constitutional regulations."
But despite these arguments, everyone in the chamber
understood that if they voted against the measure,
their veto could have been easily overturned by the
Duma, or lower house.
In the end, the governors accepted a compromise by
which they can keep their seats until their current
terms expire. But when that time is up, they lose all
privileges of office, including the immunity from
prosecution that goes along with a seat in parliament.
Alexander Dzashkov, head of the North Ossetia region,
notes that the bill also allows governors to nominate
their regional representatives. He calls this a
constructive compromise.
/// DZASHKOV ACT IN RUSSIAN-ESTABLISH & FADE ///
He says, "We will have better success if we start
constructive dialogue with President Putin about
creating other organs that will help us achieve our
goals."
In arguing for the overhaul of the upper house, Mr.
Putin contended the changes were needed to battle
Russia's economic problems, and to stop what he called
disregard for federal laws in some provinces. He
earlier won the right to fire or temporarily dismiss
any governor accused of breaking the law.
Under Mr. Putin's predecessor, President Boris
Yeltsin, governors were encouraged to make take as
much autonomy as they could. But critics complained
that regional bosses often approved laws that
contradicted those passed at the federal level.
(Signed)
NEB/PFH/GE/WTW
26-Jul-2000 07:54 AM EDT (26-Jul-2000 1154 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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