Russia’s Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday turned down a motion of no confidence in the Cabinet of President Vladimir Putin but many legislators demonstrated their disdain for the government by boycotting the vote.
Only 112 deputies of the 450-seat State Duma backed the no-confidence motion, which needed a simple majority of 226 votes to succeed; 20 voted against and four abstained. The majority did not cast votes.
The Kremlin-directed United Russia faction, which has more than 300 seats in the Duma, has sought to distance itself from the unpopular Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, and criticised the Kremlin-sponsored social welfare reform even though it had quickly approved it last summer.
The reform, which went into effect on January 1, has spawned massive street protests across the vast country. Communists and other opposition groups have pushed for the Cabinet’s ouster over the reform, which replaced benefits such as free public transport and subsidised medicines with cash payments.
But the draft no-confidence motion, signed by 100 parliamentary deputies, went far beyond that and criticised the government’s entire economic programme.
”The government could not take advantage of the uniquely favourable foreign trade climate … and accelerate economic growth or give it stability, or decrease the gap between the rich and the poor,” the motion said.
”On the contrary, the government’s actions have led to a slowing of economic development and incomprehension and mistrust by citizens and investors in the policy.”
Before the vote, Fradkov addressed the chamber, apologising for errors in implementing the welfare reform that took effect on January 1 and caused the largest public protests in Putin’s five years in power.
”The government takes complete responsibility for the organisation and conduct of this reform,” Fradkov said. ”I personally, as the head of government, do not escape responsibility. To begin such a grandiose reform, we should have calculated every possible detail and weighed up all risks and consequences.”
He asked for half a year to correct the situation with the provision of subsidised medicines, and said the government will seek to at least double average wages in Russia by 2008.
On broader economic subjects, he said the government’s main task remains the doubling of the gross domestic product by 2010. He said the government has to set ”precise and clear” rules for business.
”They may be tough but they cannot change every month,” he said.
Many lawmakers did not hide their contempt for the prime minister, laughing derisively during parts of his presentation and clearly enjoying seeing him on the defensive.
Protesters, most of them elderly, said new monthly payments of about $10 (R62) are worth far less than the benefits, and many worry they will no longer be able to afford to get where they need to go.
Many regional authorities across Russia have restored free or subsidised transport for the elderly, and the federal government has promised to raise pensions. The average monthly pension received by the country’s approximately 40-million retirees is about $80 (R496).
Both the Duma and the upper chamber, the Federation Council, voted on Wednesday to raise the mandatory minimum pension from 600 rubles to 900 rubles (from R132 to R198).
Communists and other opposition groups have announced another wave of countrywide protests against the reform this weekend. — Sapa-AP