The DPNI Strives for Legality

On July 12, 2008, the congress of the Movement against Illegal Immigration (DPNI) decided to move from radical nationalism to "nationalism in the European sense'. A deep rift within the organization is however on the horizon.

The DPNI leader, Alexander Belov is reportedly considering the official registration of the organization, so that it could play a more active role within the state apparatus. According to him, European-style nationalism never existed in Russia. European nationalism :does not wear a big beard and enormous boots, but is dressed in a suit with a necktie and velvet gloves;.

Although certain groups within the organization have manifested their "fear' of these official registration tendencies, Belov recognizes that :the democratization of the country is inevitable.; The DPNI :must fill the niche of national-patriotism. But to do this, [the DPNI] must not be a xenophobic sect which is absolutely sure that it is the only right one;.

Unhappy with the new policy directions, the members of the Moscow branch of the DPNI (led by Aleksey Mikhailov) and several representatives of the regions left the congress. Most likely the new tendencies and the opposition to them are creating a deep rift within the organization.

The congress also ratified the :June 8 Pact; - the written alliance between four nationalist movements signed at that date: the unregistered "Great Russia' party (led by Andrey Savelyev); the :Russian Liberation Movement 'Narod' ("The People'); (led by Aleksey Navalniy and Sergey Gulyayev); the Russian Social Movement (ROD, led by Constantine Krylov); and the DPNI itself. The Pact committed the signatories to efforts towards their inclusion within the conventional political framework - the "new political nationalism'.