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VLADIMIR PUTIN TUNING UP DEMOCRATIC PIANO

MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti's staff writer Pyotr Romanov) - Deputy head of the presidential administration Vladimir Surkov has cast light today upon the reform of the political system in Russia that President Vladimir Putin spoke much of after a string of terror acts in different parts of the country. In response to critics Surkov said that under new regulations governors will not be elected through direct voting, but special regional electoral assemblies will nominate candidates selected by the president. This is not an attempt to reduce regional powers, but a reaction to new challenges facing the country.

Terrorism is a grave problem of Russia, Surkov said. The structure of any country, the form of government, after all, are intended to protect and maintain the state. The reform is the state's reaction to the pending threat of terrorism, in other words, an attempt to adapt the state to the growing threat of international terrorism, Surkov underlined.

The member of the administration also dwelled upon the mechanism of implementing the law on governor election. The top echelon of regional authorities will be formed almost according to the same principle the government of the Russian Federation is done. A local legislative assembly will be given two chances to approve a candidate, forwarded by the president. If the assembly fails to do it, the president can appoint acting governor, and in this case the assembly may be dissolved. On the other hand, the legislative assembly may impeach the governor and inform the president on this matter. The latter can either agree or disagree with the deputies, in other words, put forward a new candidate or dissolve the local parliament.

It is obvious that "purists in democracy" will barely take to the new idea, although similar democratic procedures are widely known in many countries. The conclusion is clear: it is not the mechanism that is disliked, but the fact that it is used in Russia and exactly by Putin. The present head of the Kremlin is tuning up a democratic piano, indisputably sour and harsh to the ears of the Russian opposition and somebody in the West. However, this is not the main thing. What is more important for the president is to win the majority of Russians over to his way of thinking.

Indeed, now we are playing a game, a big and risky one, both for the president and whole Russia. There is no other country, which would be as peculiar as Russia in its geopolitical location, ethnic and confessional composition and its problems. In the same way, it is impossible to find two similarly successive democratic models: the US is not like Switzerland, Japan is different from Sweden, so do Germany and the Netherlands. Consequently, the West's calling on Russia to follow the same way is deeply absurd. Having received a universal democratic tool after years of painful reforms, Russia must start tuning up its own democracy, without a backward glance, considering its own traditions and peculiarities. This way is not simple, especially against the background of new challenges. Nor it is likely to be a success. Dozens of so-called democratic countries, with market economies and official freedom proclaimed, continue to be outsiders.

Hence, Putin is running the risk and cannot help doing it. At least, he is met with recognition.