In his interview ex Vice Premier speaks about dismissal of the Moscow Mayor and proposes to conduct real reforms

He was a Vice-Premier for economic reforms in the late 1980s and beginning of 1990s. Later Grigory Yavlinsky as a liberal opposition leader twice ran for president at elections and also led the opposition party Yabloko. At the invitation of the Liberal Forum he visited in Vienna.

KURIER: What does the dismissal of Yuri Luzhkov mean for the balance of power between Medvedev and Putin?

Grigory Yavlinsky: I think they have found a mutually acceptable solution. The most important thing is: there are no elections any more. Luzhkov is, sorry, already was the mayor of a big city. And there should have been elections. However, a bureaucrat will be appointed on this post. Now this has become an internal matter of the ruling elite, not even of the party.

KURIER: How would you describe Luzhkov?

Grigory Yavlinsky: He had different periods during his term of office. In some period a more democratic approach was important for him, as in 1991. He was also authoritarian. But he enjoyed public support. And he was an elected politician. From a democratic point of view this is the key point.

KURIER: Does the present leadership [of the country] have such support?

Grigory Yavlinsky: They have. But they want to be the only ones who have the support.

KURIER: Medvedev and Putin do not look united.

Grigory Yavlinsky: I see no substantial conflicts between them. Medvedev implemented the same policies as Putin, he only worded this differently. Only Medvedev speaks about modernisation, and Putin about growth.

KURIER: But it is difficult not to accept this.

Grigory Yavlinsky: Because average income has increased by four times in eight years. I would like to see if the Austrians were not also satisfied with their government in such a situation. Whatever government it would be.

KURIER: Does this result from a successful economic policy?

Grigory Yavlinsky: No. Only the oil prices were successful. The Russian economy resembles a drug addict: with a pipeline pushing gas into his left arm and an oil pipeline running to his right arm. This results in economic hallucinations.

KURIER: Will you compete in the presidential election?
Grigory Yavlinsky: We’ll see. I tried it twice. In 1996 and 2000, however, these were not free elections. But these were nevertheless elections. It was like a football game. I had a gate that was 100 meters wide and a team of five players. Yeltsin had a gate one meter wide and a team of 15 players. Since 2004, there have been no playing field and arbitrators anymore. Only a scoreboard and the score: 100:1

KURIER: You have always supported the way of conducting reforms through cooperation. Is a dialogue with the Kremlin possible?

Grigory Yavlinsky: A dialogue is necessary, but the present leadership is not interested in it. I would say that there was no such a thing even under Yeltsin. This requires solutions that are available on a broad basis. Development is a process. And a dialogue will not work when there is no feedback.

KURIER: Medvedev presents himself as a reformer and an advocate of modernisation. Is it really so?

Grigory Yavlinsky: He talks a lot about it. But modernisation implies a reform of property rights. It needs an independent judiciary and division of powers; a real parliament; elections, which will bring about such a result that the Parliament will begin reflecting the society. Everything else is idle talk.

The original
http://kurier.at/nachrichten/2036683.php