BBC Monitoring Russian Communist leader says government policy must change =========================================== Source: Russia TV, Moscow, in Russian 1730 gmt 9 Jan 01 Russian Communist leader Gennadiy Zyuganov said the government must change its policies, particularly with regard to privatization. Interviewed by Russia TV's "Details" programme on 9 January, he said the government should ensure everyone has a decent income before paying off Russia's debts. Zyuganov said the Communist Party was drawing up its policies for the next six months. He said he thought President Putin agreed with him on some issues. The following is an excerpt from the TV report: [Presenter] This is the "Details programme". Good evening. The holidays that members of parliament have are the envy of any schoolchild. The schoolchildren go back tomorrow. The MPs have another week off. That refers to more or less all the factions, with the possible exception of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF). We learnt today that the CPRF intends to campaign for a change in economic policy. Big changes are coming, according to the leader of the Communist faction, Gennadiy Zyuganov. Today our guest in the "Details" studio is Gennadiy Zyuganov. Good evening, Gennadiy Andreyevich. [Zyuganov] Good evening. [Presenter] You talk about changes. Do you have some information about a major coming reshuffle in the Russian government, for instance? [Zyuganov] No, but I think the new year, the cold winter, the new century and the new millennium commit us to serious changes... On the other hand, last year's policies, including the attempts to wipe out social guarantees, to push through the sale of the land and policies on natural monopolies, as well as a whole series of other measures entirely directed against the people ran into stiff resistance, both within the State Duma and in the workplaces. This refers in particular to the new labour law code proposed by the government. These things compel us to consider qualitatively new economic policies. On the other hand, at our congress we proposed a new version of a policy along these lines. We are currently completing the drafting of our legislation proposals. Today we debated all the main measures we are to carry out in the next few months. We thus have a clear-cut programme. When you talk about holidays, some people did take time off, but we continued our meetings with working people, scientists and experts. Our main council, the presidium, is to meet at the beginning of next week and will map out our policies for the next six months. [Presenter] Gennadiy Andreyevich, you said that some policies, such as restructuring the natural monopolies and passing a new labour law code through the State Duma ran into major resistance. Yet I think that people were saying all year that the State Duma was supportive as never before of all the new bills and proposals put by government. Isn't that right? [Zyuganov] Not quite. The attempt to sell off land was turned down. No decision was made on the natural monopolies as [Unified Energy System of Russia chief executive Anatoliy] Chubays said. The proposals on the labour law code were more or less taken back and they will not be proposed again in the next few months. On the social guarantees issue, we successfully managed to have some decisions put back. I also think that the government failed to look forward so as to make an intelligent decision on the budget. We proposed that Rb200-300bn be included in the budget from the start and if that had been done they would not faced with the demand to pay off debts immediately, as they now have... I believe that the structure, the management and the political policies of the government should be radically changed... Putin and I spent almost three hours discussing these problems on the eve of the New Year and I am certain that Vladimir Vladimirovich will have to make some very responsible decisions in the next few weeks. [Presenter] On the government membership? [Zyuganov] That will be one of them. [Presenter] Is this something you got from what Putin said or was it just the atmosphere or spirit of the meeting? [Zyuganov] This is something I realized from the issues we actually discussed. We looked into the question of construction... We talked about the problem of the railways and attempts to break up the natural monopolies. We all realized that the time for these issues has come and they have to resolve them... The government will have to change its policies, otherwise it will run into enormous difficulties and you can see it now... [Presenter] We are entering a new political year. [Zyuganov] Yes. [Presenter] And it is possible, and there are persistent rumours to this effect, that the State Duma will finally pass a Land Code. What are your views on that? [Zyuganov] We discussed this at our recent meeting. We are categorically against the sale, the free purchase and sale of agricultural land... We are insisting that the article on the purchase and sale of agricultural land be removed from the Land Code and if it is put to us with the article removed it is quite possible that the Duma will pass it... [Presenter] What about the president? [Zyuganov] He is thinking it over. At our recent meeting he said he would not insist on the land purchase and sale and I think it is quite possible that the government will itself remove this article from the Land Code... I am sure that the attempts to sell off the railways, the electricity networks, the last remaining oil and gas pipelines, the telecommunications system, the land and forests will continue. [Presenter] Perhaps the problem here is that there is no law and everything becomes criminalized. Things are sold but without any legislation, any taxation or any strict accounting. [Zyuganov] Let us punish the people who do these things, like selling off industrial concerns cheaply... I think the government and the president should respond rigorously and should take the appropriate action. It is some time since I put in a submission on this but I see that they intend to do nothing about it and by hook or by crook will sell off these businesses to people they rely on... [Presenter] What we are talking about here is people doing exactly what they like, I think, Gennadiy Andreyevich. But surely, not paying one's debts, say, to the Paris Club, is in the same category, wouldn't you say? [Zyuganov] Sorry, but all that is needed is to set up the necessary machinery to do so. If you look at what actually happens in the world with countries in the same situation as ours, you see that none of them are in a hurry to pay their debts. All that is needed is to negotiate an agreement and determine the procedures for repayment. What is needed is a new policy. [Presenter] Could you say briefly whether you recommend the government pay its debts or wait a while? [Zyuganov] I am calling on them to pursue an intelligent policy on the debts and on debt repayment. They should not be in any hurry and should first ensure everyone has a decent minimum income and that teachers, doctors, engineers, military personnel and hardworking people get a good salary, and should also support our own producers of goods. [Presenter] Thank you, Gennadiy Andreyevich... ==================================================
