11 June 2004 19:02
Housing bill focus of Russian Channel One TV`s "Basic Instinct" discussion
The passage through the State Duma of new legislation for the provision of housing and - with its nationwide shortage
and exorbitant prices - the crisis on Russia's housing market were in the spotlight in Russian Channel One
TV's "Basic Instinct" discussion slot on 11 June, hosted by Svetlana Sorokina.
Communist MP Viktor Tyulkin, on the Duma social policy and labour committee, and Rodina's Dmitriy Rogozin (of
the two factions that walked out of the chamber in the latest round of the debate) sparred with Vyacheslav Volodin
(deputy speaker) and Viktor Pleskachevskiy (head of the Duma property committee) of One Russia, the initiators of the
proposals. Vladimir Zhirinovskiy and independent Galina Khovanskaya (of the Duma legislation committee), both of whom
saw both advantages and disadvantages to the legislative initiative, completed the panel of experts.
In his introductory remarks, Viktor Tyulkin described the new legislation as being against the interests of the
people, and the way it had been passed as "antidemocratic".
Dmitriy Rogozin favoured reform in the sector but spoke of his "categorical" disagreement with provisions
in the law which he described as "anti-social". No proposals put forward by his Rodina (Motherland) faction
had been taken into account.
Vladimir Zhirinovskiy drew attention to reforms in the provision of social housing, which will speed it up but will
also exclude considerable numbers of the population whose incomes are deemed in excess of the minimum. The new laws, he
added, also do not do enough to cut red tape and eliminate corruption in the area.
Galina Khovanskaya argued some of those most in need will lose out. The package fails to pay heed to the provision of
social housing, she summed up.
Volodin and Pleskachevskiy took turns to defend the proposals. Concessions will be reintroduced for some categories
of the population, Volodin said, although the priority is, indeed, to cut waiting lists for the provision of social
housing, in some cases "20-30 years long". Pleskachevskiy pointed out the present provisions failed to
distinguish between the rich and the poor. Volodin emphasized mortgages for the "middle class". Pleskachevskiy
said the whole amounted to a "unique" legislative package.
Some 4.5 million Russian families are now on the waiting list, Sorokina added, with this reform almost to halve that
number.
In his comments on how this is likely to be achieved, Tyulkin likened the new situation to a supermarket queue:
"The till is closed, some will be told, while for half of those in the queue it will be as though they never were
there in the first place. This is how the waiting list will be cut." There was applause.
His comment was met with this riposte by Zhirinovskiy: "The Communists should instead answer why it is that for
60 years they did nothing to provide [housing] even for war heroes and veterans." There was, once again,
applause.
In general, there was at least some support for what the One Russia men had to say, with a poll among the audience
suggesting 90 per cent saw the need for change.
[Channel One TV] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
