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Volgograd Forum, July 1, 2002
FREEDOM AND RUSSIA'S PLACE IN
THE WORLD
How pleasant it was
to watch and read reports on G8 Summit in Kananaskis.
All these years I have been complaining that Russia was underestimated and
trampled on. Now my country got full membership in the Group of Eight and the
right to host a 2006 summit, despite, as some reports said, " the puny
size of its economy".
Of course, some comments stated, Russia got this as "payback for
President Vladimir Putin's unprecedented support for the US-led war on
terror".
But I think that Russia deserves this place not only as a reward but for the
role it still plays in world affairs. And as for the "puny" economy,
there are, as you know, changes for the better and I hope that before long
Russia's economy will be as great as its territory and natural resources.
The biggest hindrance to our economic progress is, of course, lack of economic
freedom. Some days ago the Wall Street Journal and Heritage Foundation
published its annual Index of Economic Freedom. Russia again occupies one of
the places at the bottom of the list.
At this end we try to do what we can to change this unhappy situation. By now
you might have read my story in the "Trud" national daily newspaper
about the three-hour strike of small-business owners in Volgograd last April.
Such strikes swept over the country recently, but in Volgograd they had an
especially mass character. Small entrepreneurs in Russia are now united in a
non-profit organization called "OPORA" ("SUPPORT"). Our
friend Vladimir Leontovich leads the Volgograd Branch of it. He proved to be
an able organizer and in a short period of time managed to build up an
influential group which is to be reckoned with by authorities.
Economic freedom was also the subject of our monthly Forum which we held on
June 27. The speaker was Mr. Pavel Mironenko, Head of Anti-Monopoly Committee
for the Volgograd Oblast. This is a Federal Government Agency which is to
supervise over the local government and economic organizations in respect to
their compliance with anti-monopoly law.
Mr. Mironenko cited many violations of that law by local authorities. For
example, last year the Volgograd Oblast Governor tried to prevent private
farmers from selling their crops to exterior buyers making them sell it to the
Oblast at a fixed price. Thus he wanted to keep bread prices at a low level.
There are numerous examples when the local government tried to interfere with
private companies that wanted to sell their stock telling them who must be the
buyer etc.
It was an interesting discussion and sort of revelation for the people present
because the activities of the anti-monopoly agency are usually hushed by the
local authorities since they often rub against their ambitions. In Russia it
is often the case when the rights of minority share-holders are violated and
Mr. Mironenko said anyone can come to them and make a complaint.
Alexander Yevreinov
Director,
Volgograd Free Speech Forum
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