Translated material
Work in the Iraq field
Alexey Mitrofanov is waiting for options to continue his political career in A Just Russia
Changing party orientation is always a risk for a politician. Sometimes it brings significant results, for example, a seat in the Duma, sometimes only consolation prizes, or even complete failure. For example, Elena Mizulina successfully changed her orientation. Having been in Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces, she finally joined A Just Russia, and this is the result - in the new Duma, Ms. Mizulina became the chairman of the Committee on Women , Family and Children. Less fortunate with the Socialist-Revolutionaries was Viktor Pokhmelkin, whose party biography was no less rich: it included the Union of Right Forces, Liberal Russia, and the Russian Motorist Movement. Having barely joined A Just Russia, Mr. Pokhmelkin left it without receiving, as he said, a promised place in the top three of the party’s electoral list for the Perm Territory. In the near future, the fate of one of the most notable party “defectors” of recent years will be decided - Alexei Mitrofanov , who, after 15 years of membership in the LDPR and the informal status of the second person in the party, moved to the same “A Just Russia”.Over the course of four convocations of the Duma, Mr. Mitrofanov diversified the dull life of the chamber with his unexpected legislative initiatives, but did not make it into the fifth convocation. Alexei Mitrofanov began to hope to regain his deputy seat when the leader of the Social Revolutionaries, Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov, threatened to take away the mandate from deputy Igor Kasyanov and hand it over to a “more worthy one.” Mr. Kasyanov was stripped of his party card just before the elections for speaking out against the party. In particular, he called on A Just Russia to dissolve itself after Russian President Vladimir Putin decided on his party sympathies and headed the United Russia list. The deputy entered the Duma on the list from the Kursk region. Sergei Mironov insists that Mr. Kasyanov renounce his mandate. According to Article 89 of the law on elections of State Duma deputies, his place can be taken by the next candidate from the list. If the regional list is exhausted, the leading party body has the right to propose its candidacy. Thus, after Igor Kasyanov’s refusal, the Socialist-Revolutionaries will have to persuade three more candidates from the Kursk list to give up their parliamentary seats. “Of course, people on the regional lists will take into account the opinion of the party leadership,” Alexei Mitrofanov told a Vremya Novostei correspondent. - How to work in a team in which you are unwanted? You will just sit on a chair, look out the window and go to the buffet, but not work. The same thing happened in the LDPR. People left because they were asked to give in.”
However, most likely the mandate of Igor Kasyanov will go not to Mitrofanov, but to Natalya Narochnitskaya, who in the last Duma served as deputy chairman of the international affairs committee. “First of all, I want Natalya Narochnitskaya to receive the mandate. And I think she will get it,” said the leader of A Just Russia, Sergei Mironov. Mr. Mitrofanov, although he hopes that the choice of the party will still fall on him, recognizes Ms. Narochnitskaya as a worthy candidate and notes her contribution to the work of the State Duma in the international direction. In turn, the leadership of A Just Russia is looking for somewhere to place ex-deputy Mitrofanov, who was left without a mandate. Perhaps an entire structure will be created in the party for him. “Our party values cooperation with him,” a high-ranking source in the party apparatus told a Vremya Novostey correspondent. - Mitrofanov is consistently loyal and has proven this with his deeds. He will be involved in the international direction of the party's work. Mitrofanov proposed several projects, and they are now being actively discussed. He has interesting foreign policy initiatives that relate to such problematic regions as Iraq and Kosovo. The party values his foreign policy experience and excellent knowledge of international issues.”
"Socialist-Revolutionaries" can become "SSers"
The A Just Russia party may change its name to the abbreviation USSR. The party leader, Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov does not exclude this possibility. He told reporters about this yesterday in Auckland, New Zealand, where he heads the Russian delegation at a session of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Mr. Mironov confirmed that it had already been decided to abandon the words “Motherland” in the name of the party. Pensioners. Life". “SR” is a truly socialist party, and I would like this ideological basis to be reflected in its name,” said the speaker of the Federation Council. According to Mr. Mironov, he considers the Socialist Union of a Just Russia, or USSR, to be the best option. True, he added that the name is still of a working nature, and he will consult with his associates. "News Time"