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MOSCOW. March 12 (Interfax) - A senior opposition figure has expressed overall satisfaction with the first meeting of a government-opposition working group debating a draft law on political parties, but expressed fear that the planned law would result in "the fragmentation of the political scene."

The Kremlin "is willing to take account of our principal suggestions, including those that would simplify (parties') registration," Konstantin Merzlikin, secretary of the Federal Political Council of the People's Freedom Party, told Interfax.

The People's Freedom Party (PARNAS) is one of Russia's parties that have been refused official registration.

Merzlikin said he had "raised the issue of the possibility of forming election blocs." Most of those present were glad he had, he claimed.

"But, unfortunately, this issue remained stalled a bit, though it is a matter of principle. One kind of gets the impression that the new concept (for the planned law) may lead to the fragmentation of the political scene," he said.

"There already are 68 registered organizing committees for setting up parties, and there is a risk that more than 100 political groups will emerge, and if it's only separately that all of them are able to take part in elections, it will be very hard to overcome the passage threshold," Merzlikin said.

"But the possibility of electoral alliances is a subject for another law. We were assured that we would come back to this issue in April. We hope that that's the way it will be, so that the opposition is able to form coalition lists for the elections in October," he said.

Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, who was also present at the meeting, said consensus had been reached there that sections should be included in the proposed law "that would make it binding on the Ministry of Justice to, first of all, provide consultation during the phase where (registration) documents are prepared and, secondly, certify the documents."

"This would eliminate reasons for (the ministry) to deny registration under the pretext that the documents fail to meet legal criteria," Udaltsov told Interfax.

He said the bill on political parties would undergo its second reading on March 20 and that other draft laws would do so later.

"Before March 15, all the amendments will be submitted to the State Duma Committee on Public Organizations, where we have also been invited," Udaltsov said.

"Because of an accelerated pace there was no chance to hold a public hearing on amendments to the law 'On Political Parties,'" he said. "There are public hearings on other draft laws planned for the start of April."

The working group, headed by Vyacheslav Volodin, deputy chief of the presidential staff, was put together after a meeting between President Dmitry Medvedev and leaders of unregistered parties.

The group includes members of several unregistered parties.

It also includes members of the four parties represented in the State Duma - United Russia, the Communists, the Liberal Democrats and A Just Russia, - and of three parties that have no seats in the lower house but are registered, Yabloko, Patriots of Russia and Right Cause.

Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russia News - Russia

 

MOSCOW. March 12 (Interfax) - A senior opposition figure has expressed overall satisfaction with the first meeting of a government-opposition working group debating a draft law on political parties, but expressed fear that the planned law would result in "the fragmentation of the political scene."

The Kremlin "is willing to take account of our principal suggestions, including those that would simplify (parties') registration," Konstantin Merzlikin, secretary of the Federal Political Council of the People's Freedom Party, told Interfax.

The People's Freedom Party (PARNAS) is one of Russia's parties that have been refused official registration.

Merzlikin said he had "raised the issue of the possibility of forming election blocs." Most of those present were glad he had, he claimed.

"But, unfortunately, this issue remained stalled a bit, though it is a matter of principle. One kind of gets the impression that the new concept (for the planned law) may lead to the fragmentation of the political scene," he said.

"There already are 68 registered organizing committees for setting up parties, and there is a risk that more than 100 political groups will emerge, and if it's only separately that all of them are able to take part in elections, it will be very hard to overcome the passage threshold," Merzlikin said.

"But the possibility of electoral alliances is a subject for another law. We were assured that we would come back to this issue in April. We hope that that's the way it will be, so that the opposition is able to form coalition lists for the elections in October," he said.

Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, who was also present at the meeting, said consensus had been reached there that sections should be included in the proposed law "that would make it binding on the Ministry of Justice to, first of all, provide consultation during the phase where (registration) documents are prepared and, secondly, certify the documents."

"This would eliminate reasons for (the ministry) to deny registration under the pretext that the documents fail to meet legal criteria," Udaltsov told Interfax.

He said the bill on political parties would undergo its second reading on March 20 and that other draft laws would do so later.

"Before March 15, all the amendments will be submitted to the State Duma Committee on Public Organizations, where we have also been invited," Udaltsov said.

"Because of an accelerated pace there was no chance to hold a public hearing on amendments to the law 'On Political Parties,'" he said. "There are public hearings on other draft laws planned for the start of April."

The working group, headed by Vyacheslav Volodin, deputy chief of the presidential staff, was put together after a meeting between President Dmitry Medvedev and leaders of unregistered parties.

The group includes members of several unregistered parties.

It also includes members of the four parties represented in the State Duma - United Russia, the Communists, the Liberal Democrats and A Just Russia, - and of three parties that have no seats in the lower house but are registered, Yabloko, Patriots of Russia and Right Cause.