Translated material
Demonstrative introductions
The number of members of the party in power is reflected in their quality
United Russia is actively recruiting governors, mayors, and famous athletes to the party. However, then some converts have to be disposed of urgently. The newspaper Vremya Novostey decided to find out what criteria United Russia adheres to when admitting new members to the party.Yesterday, the mayor of Tomsk, Alexander Makarov, was removed from his post by the court. A week ago, on December 6, a criminal case was opened against him under articles of “extortion” and “abuse of official power.” United Russia, whose ranks Makarov joined only five months ago, immediately rushed to get rid of the “unreliable” comrade. The other day, by decision of the political council of the Tomsk regional branch, the now ex-mayor was expelled from the party in power. His fate was shared by the former Vice-Mayor of the city Sergei Lazarev and Director of the Department of Housing and Communal Services Rasim Valitov, also participating in the criminal trial as defendants.
Not so long ago, in May of this year, a similar story happened with the former mayor of Volgograd , a native of the LDPR party, Evgeniy Ishchenko. United Russia expelled him from its ranks as soon as a criminal case was in the air. And a couple of weeks later, Mr. Ishchenko was arrested . His trial is still ongoing.
United Russia is the largest Russian political party, the number of its members has exceeded one million. However, competitors of the party in power treat the sky-high figures with distrust. Recently, information leaked to the press about the mass recruitment of workers from the AvtoVAZ plant into United Russia. Although cases of forced entry into the party of collectives of enterprises, whose owners and managers turned out to be close to United Russia, were repeatedly mentioned on the pages of newspapers. The history of AvtoVAZ prompted last Friday the central council of the A Just Russia party to come up with a proposal to introduce criminal liability for forcing citizens to join any party.
If we talk about the qualitative composition of United Russia, then it can be divided into three parts: ordinary members, who make up a large number, representatives of the regional elite, necessary to strengthen the positions of United Russia members locally (just remember that 69 governors of Russian regions are provided with party cards), as well as stars of sports, cinema, theater, and show business, whose stay in the party is due to PR needs. Usually, such comrades are admitted into the party at party congresses - loudly and with pomp.
For example, at the recent VII Congress of United Russia, actor and producer Alexey Guskov, Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova, legendary boxer Konstantin Tszyu and Olympic champion in figure skating Anton Sikharulidze received party cards.
Two-time Olympic champion wrestler Alexander Karelin and rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva can be called “veterans of party building.” Being in the ranks of the party from its very foundation, they occupy responsible positions. Ms. Kabaeva is a member of the party's Supreme Council and a member of the Public Chamber, and Mr. Karelin is a State Duma deputy and deputy chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs.
According to the charter of United Russia, its members can be citizens of Russia who have reached the age of eighteen, share the goals and objectives of the party, comply with its charter, regularly pay membership fees, and take part in its activities. “Basically, admission to the party is carried out by local branches,” Leonid Goryainov, head of the information department of United Russia, told Vremya Novostey. — Of course, local branches study the biography of candidates for the party and try to admit only people with an impeccably clean reputation, so as not to spoil the party’s image. And so, as they say, there’s a black sheep in a family.”
Foreign citizens and stateless persons, as well as Russian citizens declared incompetent by a court, or those who, in accordance with Russian law, cannot be a member of a political party, cannot become members of United Russia. The Law on Parties also includes persons in prison under a court sentence into this category. However, until the verdict comes into force, the party is not obliged to abandon its member. However, as practice shows, he refuses.
In order to prevent “black sheep” from joining their ranks, United Russia came up with the institution of party supporters. Only after being a supporter for at least three months can a person acquire a party card. However, this measure, as it turned out, does not save from unwanted elements. After all, five months ago, when the same mayor of Tomsk, Alexander Makarov, joined United Russia, his moral character did not raise any questions among party members.