This is not the time for discussion

Boris Gryzlov spoke out against the right of the opposition to criticize the government

The speaker of the State Duma, chairman of the bureau of the supreme council of the United Russia party, Boris Gryzlov, following the famous phrase “parliament is not a place for discussions,” enriched modern Russian political science thought with a new bright thesis. On the eve of the start of the autumn session of the State Duma, he said: “There should be no desire to increase your rating by criticizing the actions of the authorities - the government and United Russia.” So far we are only talking about criticism of the authorities’ actions in the fight against forest fires. After all, according to the speaker, this problem should consolidate all political forces to solve the problems. Mr. Gryzlov considers the desire of the opposition to earn points by criticizing the authorities (quite natural for any opposition party in any democratic country).

To begin with, the State Duma speaker announced that the Duma, at the first meeting of the autumn session, will adopt a special statement on the consequences of the abnormal heat that hit Russia this summer. “Anomalous natural phenomena led to fires, drought, and loss of crops,” recalled Mr. Gryzlov. He believes that the parliamentary corps needs to analyze environmental legislation, including the Forestry Code, and amend it in order to minimize the risk of a recurrence of a similar situation. In this context, the State Duma speaker called on all political forces to unite around solving the problem of forest fires. “All political forces must unite. There should be no desire to increase your rating by criticizing the actions of the authorities - the government and United Russia, he said. And he immediately noted that United Russia had created a fund to help fire victims. Now it totals 106 million rubles. “The funds from this fund will be spent on purchasing household appliances and housing,” he reported.

General Director of the Agency for Strategic Communications Dmitry Orlov believes that the proposal to merge in the current conditions looks quite logical. “We are talking about consolidating society in a difficult period. The fires caused significant damage to the economy and the well-being of residents of a number of regions. We need to respond to the challenge posed to the authorities and society,” the political scientist told a Vremya Novostei correspondent.

Independent political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin believes that United Russia is simply afraid of criticism. “After all, the entire basic content of its ideology was that the party gives the people a strong leader, the people will consolidate around him, and after that our forest and mountains will dance, as in Krylov’s fable,” Mr. Oreshkin noted in a conversation with a correspondent “ News time." -- At the same time, oil prices are rising, and the inefficient economy has been replaced by a more efficient market economy. When this growth is exhausted and new means of attracting money are needed, then the slowdown begins. And at this moment it is no longer necessary to share the bonuses that a market economy brings, but the responsibility for unfulfilled promises. In this situation, of course, we have to talk about the need to rally around our beloved leadership. And there is no need to swear because the previous rallying did not achieve anything.”

Apparently, the speaker's words were indirectly addressed to the communists, who last week blamed the fires on the government, United Russia and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, State Duma deputy Sergei Obukhov said at a press conference: “Today three more regions are burning - Volgograd, Saratov and Samara regions. According to NASA satellites, the number of fires has doubled in one day. That is, the problem of fires has not been solved, and the example of the Volga region confirms the unpreparedness of the government led by Mr. Putin and the entire power vertical of United Russia to repel the blows of the elements.”

Deputies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia factions plan to raise the issue in the Duma of having the prime minister himself or someone in charge of forestry come to a State Duma meeting and report on the situation with fires and measures to eliminate them during the government hour.

Ksenia VERETENNIKOVA