07 April 2004 18:22
Jailed tycoon`s letter important message to Russian society - radio comment
The letter written by the jailed ex Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovskiy - published in Vedomosti on 29 March - continues
to attract attention from leading commentators. On state-controlled Radio Russia on 7 April, presenter Nikolay Svanidze
and deputy Izvestiya editor Aleksandr Arkhangelskiy agreed that the letter was not a tactical move but demonstrated real
concern over the future of Russian liberalism. Their discussion in the Special Opinion programme entitled To Whom
Khodorkovskiy's Letter is Addressed touched on the country's social problems, including low wages for
intellectuals in the public sector, and bureaucracy.
Arkhangelskiy said that Khodorkovskiy's message really had ideas in it worth discussing and that Russia does
need new ideas. In this connection, he referred to the success of both President Vladimir Putin and the Motherland
electoral bloc hastily assembled in advance of the December 2003 parliamentary election. Both Putin and the Motherland
bloc have ideas for society, although these may be controversial.
Arkhangelskiy, who in general does not agree with Khodorkovskiy's evaluation of the 1990's in Russia, said:
"Now it's up to us to discuss what to do." It remains a question as to what extent Khodorkovskiy's
text will influence society since the liberal wing has considerably weakened in the recent years, Svanidze added.
Arkhangelskiy noted that there are many young politicians in the Russian regions who have not been given any opportunity
to take part in real politics.
[Radio Russia] |
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