Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Ivanov believes that the rallies that have recently been held in Moscow are evidence that there is freedom of speech in Russia, Interfax news agency reported on 26 December. "This is specifically a demonstration of the existence of freedom of speech in the Russian Federation," Interfax quoted Ivanov as telling journalists, when asked to provide his assessment of the rallies "For Fair Election" that had been held in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square and Prospekt Sakharova Avenue.
According to another Interfax report on the same day, the deputy speaker of the State Duma and head of the One Russia (United Russia) faction, Andrey Vorobyev, believes that the rallies that took place in Moscow in December show that there is a civil society in Russia.
"I consider that the main result of the actions that have taken place is that they have demonstrated the existence of a civil society in Russia," Interfax quoted Vorobyev as saying at a briefing in Moscow on 26 December.
According to the report, Vorobyev could see the risk that certain forces "could use these actions in their mercenary interests, which will create preconditions for mistakes and negative consequences of the actions which now take place within the framework of the law".
"There is a danger that some people could try to turn the civil society into a crowd and use (it) to their ends," Vorobyev was quoted as saying.
Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Ivanov believes that the rallies that have recently been held in Moscow are evidence that there is freedom of speech in Russia, Interfax news agency reported on 26 December.
"This is specifically a demonstration of the existence of freedom of speech in the Russian Federation," Interfax quoted Ivanov as telling journalists, when asked to provide his assessment of the rallies "For Fair Election" that had been held in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square and Prospekt Sakharova Avenue.
According to another Interfax report on the same day, the deputy speaker of the State Duma and head of the One Russia (United Russia) faction, Andrey Vorobyev, believes that the rallies that took place in Moscow in December show that there is a civil society in Russia.
"I consider that the main result of the actions that have taken place is that they have demonstrated the existence of a civil society in Russia," Interfax quoted Vorobyev as saying at a briefing in Moscow on 26 December.
According to the report, Vorobyev could see the risk that certain forces "could use these actions in their mercenary interests, which will create preconditions for mistakes and negative consequences of the actions which now take place within the framework of the law".
"There is a danger that some people could try to turn the civil society into a crowd and use (it) to their ends," Vorobyev was quoted as saying.