Translated material
Lugovoi as Viagra
In order to get into the Duma, Vladimir Zhirinovsky “threw a glass in the face of the entire world community”
Yesterday the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia held its 19th pre-election congress in Moscow. Interest in this event was spurred by the inclusion of entrepreneur Andrei Lugovoy, who is accused by the British authorities of the murder of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, as number two on the federal electoral list of the party . Mr. Lugovoi appears to have enjoyed politics so much that he has not even ruled out running for president.To begin with, Mr. Lugovoi denied at the congress that he was going to the Duma for parliamentary immunity. “No, not for that,” he answered reporters, adding that “the very wording of the question is complete stupidity and a lack of understanding of what is happening.” “In our country, all people are protected by the Constitution,” Mr. Lugovoy shared his ideas about the law. He also noted that he shares the ideology of the party and is impressed by the leader of the LDPR, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. “From the point of view of protecting citizens, the position of Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky is the most consistent and understandable for me,” he noted.
At the same time, the main “star” of the current LDPR election campaign linked her entry into the party with the “Litvinenko case”: “Life forced me to really make a decision. I was faced with vile provocations and disgusting lies. The scandal was politicized as much as possible, and in particular in the UK. Through myself personally, through members of my family, I felt what could be done to a Russian citizen if he were not maximally protected,” noted Mr. Lugovoy.
He also did not rule out his participation in the presidential campaign. “Like any citizen, I would like to be president,” said the newly-minted second number on the LDPR list at a press conference following the results of the congress. However, at this moment, the far-sighted Mr. Zhirinovsky did not let him finish, suggesting that all issues related to the party’s participation in the presidential campaign be postponed to a later date - after the parliamentary elections.
Representatives of the parties that are the main competitors of the LDPR in the upcoming Duma elections gave their assessments of the decision of the LDPR leadership to bring Andrei Lugovoy to the Duma. In particular, they answered Vremya Novostey’s question whether this move would add votes to the party.
“It’s difficult for me to look at it from the point of view of a LDPR voter. From the point of view of common sense, it will not add,” said State Duma deputy, Secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central Committee Oleg Kulikov. — From the point of view of Zhirinovsky’s own prospects for traveling to Europe, it’s probably also unlikely. But Zhirinovsky is not the kind of person who will rush headlong. Apparently, he received an order to support Lugovoy.” “Comrade Zhirinovsky has always been distinguished by his unconventional moves,” noted United Russia faction deputy Mikhail Grishankov, while deciding not to assess the electoral prospects of the LDPR with Andrei Lugovoi number two on the list.
“Tactically, I understand Zhirinovsky. He strengthened his position before the elections,” State Duma deputy Alexei Mitrofanov, who recently moved from the LDPR to A Just Russia, told Vremya Novostey. - In fact, Zhirinovsky himself began to formulate the election agenda and inserted a very important issue there. But what’s more interesting is what will happen after the elections. The LDPR crossed the red line and stood on a par with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Karadzic and others. I’m not talking about entry into the West for LDPR leaders. I think that now even Yushchenko will not let them into Ukraine. After all, Lugovoi is not just a wanted person. He is suspected of the first publicly identified act of nuclear terrorism. The question arises about the legitimacy of the Russian parliament if Lugovoi is present in it. That is, what Zhirinovsky did by taking him to second place on the LDPR list is practically throwing a glass in the face of the entire world community. Figuratively speaking, Zhirinovsky took Viagra yesterday to get through the night, not thinking that he might have a stroke later.”
The topic of Mr. Mitrofanov, with whom Mr. Zhirinovsky was very offended because of his departure, also became one of the main ones at yesterday's congress. The leader of the LDPR, hinting at a defector, called on his party colleagues not to participate in glamorous events, but to carry out serious political work without betraying the interests of the LDPR. “We don’t need these glamorous parties, champagne and half-naked girls. Porn, fashion, tattoos - this style is not for the LDPR,” he emphasized. And he added that it was only thanks to his, Zhirinovsky’s, gentleness that the party “kept for a long time those who later turned out to be traitors - not only did they not bring any benefit to the LDPR, but it turned out that they brought harm to it.”
Vladimir Zhirinovsky set the delegates to the party congress the task of gaining the support of 10 million Russian voters in the elections and gaining at least 15% of the votes. The party has formed its electoral lists. First place on the list, naturally, was taken by Vladimir Zhirinovsky himself, second by Andrei Lugovoi, and third by the son of the party leader, head of the LDPR faction in the State Duma, Igor Lebedev.