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Khodorkovsky Forecasts New Outbreak of Confrontation Between Russian Authorities, Public Activists
Interfax - 6.7.12 - JRL 2012-104

MOSCOW. June 7 (Interfax) - Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky is skeptical about the political future of businessman Mikhail Prokhorov and expects the appearance of new people and organizations on the political scene. Mikhail Khodorkovsky file photo

"In my opinion, Mikhail Prokhorov had rather good prospects but he was not prepared for the real party struggle," Khodorkovsky told the BBC Russian service. The interview was published on Khodorkovsky's website.

"I do not believe in the success of old-type 'ideological parties'. A modern party is an election machine, a coalition of numerous public forces capable of finding a compromise. This is a party whose main task is to ensure the regular regime change. There may be two or three such parties, in addition to the ruling party, including the nationalists and the new leftists," he said.

"There are many politicians and public figures of the new generation capable of efficient public and political construction amongst the protesters," he said.

"The opposition strengthened slightly after the parliamentary elections but it is still much weaker than the authorities. Disconnection, the absence of universally recognized leaders and strategies have not been overcome by the opposition. Yet the period of public and political apathy seems to be over, which means civil activity will be growing. Meanwhile, the authorities have seriously undermined their influence with unfair elections and continue to undermine it with the refusal to recognize facts," he said.

"Any social conflict will pass unsupported by the elites now. De-legitimization of the regime has begun. However, the opposition in its current condition and format is simply unable to catch up with the alternation of public demands. Time has come for new people and new organizations to appear on the stage," he said.

"The protesters did not set practical tasks. The scale of the movement was insufficient for speaking about a change of the regime in the practical sense, while the speech about unfair elections is the speech about a change of the regime. It is obvious though that not only marginal people are discontent with the events in the country. The demand for political reforms was made by the people whom the authorities had offered only economic modernization," he said.

"The potential of a conflict between the political ruling circles and the active part of Russian society is rather high. It is hard to say what may trigger a new outbreak of confrontation," Khodorkovsky concluded.

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

MOSCOW. June 7 (Interfax) - Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky is skeptical about the political future of businessman Mikhail Prokhorov and expects the appearance of new people and organizations on the political scene.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky file photo

"In my opinion, Mikhail Prokhorov had rather good prospects but he was not prepared for the real party struggle," Khodorkovsky told the BBC Russian service. The interview was published on Khodorkovsky's website.

"I do not believe in the success of old-type 'ideological parties'. A modern party is an election machine, a coalition of numerous public forces capable of finding a compromise. This is a party whose main task is to ensure the regular regime change. There may be two or three such parties, in addition to the ruling party, including the nationalists and the new leftists," he said.

"There are many politicians and public figures of the new generation capable of efficient public and political construction amongst the protesters," he said.

"The opposition strengthened slightly after the parliamentary elections but it is still much weaker than the authorities. Disconnection, the absence of universally recognized leaders and strategies have not been overcome by the opposition. Yet the period of public and political apathy seems to be over, which means civil activity will be growing. Meanwhile, the authorities have seriously undermined their influence with unfair elections and continue to undermine it with the refusal to recognize facts," he said.

"Any social conflict will pass unsupported by the elites now. De-legitimization of the regime has begun. However, the opposition in its current condition and format is simply unable to catch up with the alternation of public demands. Time has come for new people and new organizations to appear on the stage," he said.

"The protesters did not set practical tasks. The scale of the movement was insufficient for speaking about a change of the regime in the practical sense, while the speech about unfair elections is the speech about a change of the regime. It is obvious though that not only marginal people are discontent with the events in the country. The demand for political reforms was made by the people whom the authorities had offered only economic modernization," he said.

"The potential of a conflict between the political ruling circles and the active part of Russian society is rather high. It is hard to say what may trigger a new outbreak of confrontation," Khodorkovsky concluded.


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