Not to attack, not defend

Society should impose other amendments to the Constitution to the Kremlin

How to react to the new “Putin’s plan” - more precisely, the Putin’s plan forever, obviously and extremely hastily implemented by the Kremlin now?

On the plan, the only and obvious goal of which is to “correct” the constitution in such a way as to provide Putin with unlimited power in the position that he will choose for himself? To continue to rule the country, without answering anything. Neither for failures in the economy, nor for lowering the standard of living of citizens, nor for monstrous corruption and theft, nor for unleashed or supported wars.

How to respond to a ridiculous “working group” hastily created for the approval of Putin’s amendments to the Constitution, where authors of the most obscurantist laws, boa writers, devoted directors and actors, asphalt Cossacks, as well as retired athletes and astronauts are collected?

At the same time, the frankly unlawful method of “folk approval” is planned:

Putin's amendments are going to bring to the “popular vote” unknown by any law after they are accepted by the State Duma and the Federation Council!

But in the Constitution it is directly recorded that amendments to chapters 3-8 enter into force after the adoption of the relevant federal constitutional laws and after approval by their legislative authorities at least two-thirds of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation-without any additional conditions and votes? Why then do you need this "vote"?

How to respond to the fact that these amendments want to cynically “buy” from citizens in exchange for what could have been made without any changes in the constitution for a long time: raising the minimum wage, indexing pensions, school nutrition and benefits for raising children (however, the money that is necessary today is spent on the wars and the maintenance of the army of the regime guards go into the pockets of “presidential friends” or are simply plundered).

How to respond to the fact that they want to conduct all this with a “package” - as in Soviet times, when in a “load” to a scarce soluble coffee or stew gave moldy pasta or flour? And if a citizen agrees with something, but categorically not with something? It supports an increase in the minimum wage, but does not want to “in load” to this unchanging Putin on the throne-transformer?

Two ways of a civil response are discussed.

1. "To prevent a constitutional coup." Supporters of this response go to rallies and pickets and require "protect the constitution." Or give advice from the beautiful far - not to criticize the Constitution, so as not to "help Putin."

2. The 1993 Constitution did not protect us from anything over the years, therefore there is absolutely no need to protect it: it does not deserve it. Therefore, nothing needs to be done at all. Square on the sidelines or sit out in a hut from the edge.

Both that and the other today are completely not enough.

The disadvantages of the current Constitution are well known. I wrote more than once in the “new” about them, and about how and why this constitution was adopted.

The “autocratic” constitution allowed to unleash two wars in Chechnya, organize collateral auctions and default with devaluation, transfer to friends and colleagues income from natural resources and giant property, cancel the elections of governors, create “federal districts” and plenipotentiaries, make the presidential administration (whose powers are not registered in one law) The political body in the country, to build a “vertical of power”, de facto minimizing federalism, to make the president’s decisive influence on the constitutional and supreme courts, as well as the Accounts Chamber and the Prosecutor General, to turn the Federation Council and the State Duma into pocket applauding bodies, even the elected governors-in unemployed subordinates of the president (at any moment they can be removed for “loss of loss Trust ”), and make the government forever“ technical ”. And the fact that this political structure acted a little decent under Yeltsin than under Putin does not change anything on the merits.

Nevertheless, it is in this Constitution that the rights and freedoms of citizens who need protection and real execution (and to which power are continuously and cynically come in detail, adopting more and more new laws that destroy or limiting).

Therefore, today it is necessary not passive, but active resistance to the continuation and expansion of the usurpation of power.

It is necessary to change the constitution - but not in the way Putin and his environment want this, but as the Russian citizens should.

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To preserve in the Constitution that over the past quarter century has justified itself, and to change what was either formulated from the very beginning, or it turned out to be inoperative.

To do this, it is necessary to consolidate the real guarantees of the rights of citizens to divide the powers in the Constitution, abandoning the autocracy, a cancerous tumor of the Russian political system, with all new and new metastases: either by “federal districts” and plenipases, then the Security Council, then the State Council.

To consolidate guarantees of citizens' rights to an independent court, to competition in politics and economics, free elections, to the freedom of dissemination of opinions and beliefs, to the freedom of the media, the freedom of peaceful public shares, to the inadmissibility of political repression, the integrity of private property, real local self -government, and observing the state of international obligations (and above all, to ensure human rights and freedoms).

To establish a strict obligation of the state to ensure these and other rights of citizens - to education and healthcare, to a favorable environment and housing, to social protection, to freedom of conscience, and to consolidate responsibility for violation of these and other human rights. And much more - necessary for citizens.

This means other amendments to the Constitution.

"But that means - to follow them!" - Skeptics have already ached.

“No,” I answer. “Our task is to force them to go about us.”

To prepare an alternative to the Putin plan, Yabloko is created by the Constitutional Council from authoritative professionals. And it will immediately prepare the “civilian version” of amendments to the Constitution in the interests of citizens, and not the ruling group.

And then he will demand a referendum.

Not imitating and not binding “nationwide voting” by one “checkmark” throughout the Putin “package of amendments” - but a referendum.

Where citizens will answer what amendments they support: the amendments of the civil society - or the amendments of Putin and his environment aimed at the life preservation of the current president and the conservation of the current regime that is not able to solve the problems of citizens.

You can try to interfere with the authorities to fulfill the plan.

And you can impose your will to her, offering a meaningful alternative.

“Nothing will come out,” those who do not want to do anything and can not offer anything.

We have heard this more than once.

And we know: the one who fights may not win, but the one who is afraid to fight will never win.

We suggest fighting and acting.

Attack, not defend yourself.

Because the attack is the best way of defense.