18 February 2004 13:33
Russian electioncast: Glazyev, Mironov, Khakamada, Kharitonov
The scheduled presidential election broadcast on Radio Russia at 0830 gmt on Wednesday 18 February featured
independent presidential candidate Sergey Glazyev and independent presidential candidate Irina Khakamada, and introduced
the election programme of speaker of the Federation Council and presidential candidate Sergey Mironov.
Glazyev said that the people who drew up the federal economic policy are becoming rich by exporting natural
resources. The funds that must be used for the benefit of society are being pocketed by few persons who buy yachts,
hotels, resorts and football clubs, he said. The source of the money to make the lives of the citizens better is our
natural property. After export duties on oil products were introduced in the country in 1992, the federal budget started
to receive 30 per cent of funds. Companies must pay for natural resources. It is necessary to restore payments for
polluting the environment. A law on the use of hydroelectric resources is needed. Thus the budget will have funds to
allocate for the defence and the social sectors.
Presenter introduces the programme of speaker of the Federation Council and presidential candidate Sergey Mironov.
Mironov's programme provides for a fair standard of living of every citizen of Russia. The people must enjoy higher
wages, pensions and benefits. Russia must not be a raw materials appendix to the West, he said. The educational, public
health, scientific and cultural spheres should be supported. Combating drug addiction is one of the most important areas
of Mironov's programme. Russia's economy must be highly developed.
Presenter said that independent presidential candidate Irina Khakamada was a guest in the studio.
Asked why she is standing for the post of president, Khakamada said that President Vladimir Putin must listen to the
people who were dissatisfied with the authorities.
Presenter said that Radio Russia listeners had put a few questions to presidential candidates. Aleksey Prikhodko from
St Petersburg asked where the presidential candidate (Khakamada) would take money from to raise pensions and wages. She
said that there was much money now, 160bn dollars, in the reserve of the Central Bank and the government. The funds are
not being spent. Red tape, corruption and bribe-taking are also creating a hole in the budget, she said.
What will you do if you are elected president, presenter asked. The president should issue a decree reforming power
and the ministries that are stealing and giving nothing to the people. Red tape should be reduced, she said.
Yelena from Kursk said she was worried about providing for the future of the children. Khakamada said that the
present children's monthly allowance to the tune of R70 (2.46 dollars) was too little. If there is no theft, the
country will be in position to pay R3,000 for the first child, R8,000 for the second child and R10,000 or even R30,000
for the third child. This measure will ensure an increase in the numbers of future generations. There must be funds for
education and health care.
Presenter introduced Communist Party of the Russian Federation candidate Nikolay Kharitonov's appeal to voters.
"I am a farmer's son. I am taking part in the election in order to return to the people what was stolen from
them by the predatory reforms," he said. Kharitonov had a programme for getting over the economic crisis. He had a
team of highly qualified experts. Russia should stop humiliating itself before the West or the East. It has its own way
to socialism and social justice, he said.
Radio featured CEC's election ads giving the time and the date of the presidential election and necessary
documents voters must have, the election procedure.
The total duration of the broadcast was 14 minutes: no further processing planned.
[Radio Russia] |
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