i'm broadcasting live direct from our studios in central moscow this is our. western powers that seek to hit syria with more economic sanctions after russia and china vetoed a u.n. resolution aimed at increasing pressure on president assad this comes as the death toll rises in the city of homes as fifty more people are reportedly killed by government playing. field meanwhile ahead of his visit to damascus russia's foreign minister slams the west reaction to the double veto has been decent and hysterical

he is scheduled to meet syrian authorities on tuesday to try and broker dialogue between the government and opposition. also greater political involvement for the people through the internet prime minister putin lays out his plans to upgrade russian democracy a day after a massive pro and anti-government rally sweep the country the new initiative allows people to suggest their own laws online early and greece announces thousands of civil service job cuts amid mounting international pressure to agree to austerity measures needed to secure a new bailout if the government fails to strike a deal that could default on its financial obligations by the end of march. the russian presidential election gets closer we talk to opposition politicians rushkoff about last saturday's mass rallies that's on artie's interview show spotlight coming up next.

hello again a welcome to spotlight. on i tunes i'm albert nobbs and today my guest is. a month before the presidential election russia has faced the first major opposition rallies in two thousand and twelve tens of thousands marched through the streets of moscow and other major russian cities calling for fair elections though some of them hope this helps you move back to the kremlin while others say. the latter believe the russian changed while conservative supporters are protesting

against the protesters they warn their results may be unpredictable if the opposition wins as it is split and unreliable itself what some. were asking one of the leaders of the opposition politician of like. when the soviet union collapsed and new democratic forces came to power coffee was in the foreground of russian politics he represented the main program and party on the boris yeltsin and was first elected m.p. nine hundred ninety three five years later was called to reach the top of his governmental career when he was appointed deputy prime minister with a responsibility for social issues however a few days later say it was not he's an area of expertise after spending fifteen years in palmer. has become one of the most active opponents of the stuff. power and has helped was to mind a protest rally and. a hell of lot of a

nice to have you here in the studio welcome welcome to spotlight well a you are one of the organizers and an active participant some of these recent recent rallies well they're called for fair elections well who are these protesters labeled as the angry citizens in the russian press and do you think that these people really can influence the kremlin today you know this this protest movement is where it it why. it includes as well politicians as well just regular citizens and i could say that may made the seventy percent of protesters not. not belong to political camps seventy percent of just regular old people from the streets and the main engine of these protests is i think two events first event twenty fourth of september last year where putin

video of proclaimed that they will change there is this combination and when they said that all we agreed many years before but so many people in russia been shocked by this by this announcement because too predictable but it did well and people felt some people felt that they were deprived of making the choice it was a little bit cynical it was a little bit little bit a trick not politics is is very is a very cynical process and you know that maybe not maybe the reason is that people in the west people in developed democracies know that it is cynical and the russians are not used to it yet do you agree as what they want to do is you know this is not an army is a problem is that for last twenty years no one tion power in russia was change of free elections it's always been like terrorist model boris yeltsin had success or

you know what he meant appointed his successor of the meeting with the it is now the meeting with the points his successor predecessor. so it's not well this is this is what mr circle thought of the matter i'd been managed democracy has what he called he called did the the sovereign democracy and the most so this is the russian waste ok i mean that maybe twenty years ago or even fifteen years ago it was ok it was natural for natural way of making deals in russia but now it's different i could. maine split the main change we had to last ten years to twelve years is that in russia was created a middle class so-called angry citizens. which is coming out through the streets and this is where the middle class in the middle where you are a little european. middle class and even agrees to do that it's about

twenty five thirty percent of population and this angry middle class not accept more the sprouts artist model was first reason of this mass protest and second concrete reason or the results of them elections fourth of december you remember that first mass action was the next night after elections fifth of december there it was huge will open a square election of the then was biggest action on the new twenty fourth of december and the man the reason for this mass protests being the first if occasions especially in moscow because in most example exit polls show it about this thread to say well he was always wanted more transparency they want to be sure that the elections are fair though there was a we should that that is sort of the local into the law and they feel that they there that they may have been deprived of their choice if they're absolutely well

let's take a look now at the most recent rallies in moscow which took place last saturday here's a report from spotlights you know that the media. despite temperatures of minus twenty celsius moscow st will boiling with political activity on the fourth of february nothing seems to be able to cool down the heated political debates which have been building as the presidential election approaches for mass to rallies were held in russia's capital on saturday the two biggest one four and one against the government to try. tens of thousands the opposition marched for fair election in their third rally of its kind since last december they have been protesting against alleged fraud in the state duma election the ruling united russia party gained half the vote amid ballot riggin accusations which infuriated the crowd this time protesters called for free and democratic presidential election in less than

a month meanwhile elsewhere in moscow was separate programs mantra was held the main slogan there was we have much to lose suggesting the country's current stability will be damaged if it is not real active participants said they were against the protest movement in the country for the near putin spoke to both sides in his new weekly pre-action article he sees the current political activity in the country as a good sign and then achievement of his years in power at the same time he admits the quality of the state is like being behind civil society which has become more mature active and responsible. so putin has has. admitted that the government needs to catch up with the civil society right here as an out some political concessions but do you have the feeling that putin is

ready to to go further in liberalizing really the society the political life force on for unfortunate for children or so you're a pessimist person is that because you know on below to square and saw her i mean you know be a doctor for a very simple demands to the authorities so as demand is to free political prisoners we have now about forty people including khodorkovsky and i believe in prisons absolutely fabricated fabricated. number is now number two we don't agree with the results. of parliamentary elections we don't see real investigation on thousands investigating investigate alleged fraud number three it's a wide demand of deep complex political reforms registration of opposition parties . free elections a new formation of electoral in this is this something years being done that will talk or will will talk

a little later about your own party that that seeming to fight it was not really is not represented in until now it is not really something is happening on a little then it's ok i'm skeptical and i have reasons for that other demands he mentioned three demands the number the number with thing that we need new parliamentary elections because this duma is not represent whole population of the country especially especially population of big cities moscow sample does work you know it's an absolute when we have twenty five thirty percent of liberal minded people and no one representative in the national parliament because i don't follow a number and number five is. number five is new presidential elections if common presidential elections will not be free in on this as well as the seller do so your main demand is is having is returning the choice that people feel they are deprived of remains in

mind control litigants legal representation for the for popular for all looking after the first after the other one round these everybody including your supporters had had an impression that putin has heard what what people have said in the streets but last weekend after after the kremlin held their rally at the same day and same time as the opposition rally wasn't that a sign that the kremlin is not ready for don't you know i think it's a bad signal it's a bad signal what's the. and so there's no dialogue no dialogue moreover moreover alexander i'm i'm i'm i'm very very much concerned on situation because i see escalation as coloration of political temperature from both sides you can see that first action first the rally in the senate was and it sure of had of electoral commission and against. now it's becoming more and more.

movement from another side it's becoming more and more and to liberal and to democratic and modern movement so we can see that the russian society is split at more and more and escalation the from both sides all the way he said quote it's a good thing to be finished by confrontation not only between authorities and people but between different parts of this i will be confrontation politics is always confrontation but i do believe normal politics that all this dialogue do you do you believe that there is a person in russia who could beat putin and they're coming elections. you know you could get a clinician a last look on the figures look on the figures we have three pinion poll advances. and difference is very big between the figures most independent agency live by the

last figure is about forty two percent for. most loyal to see a warm and gives fifty fiftieth's or so difference is ten percent but even if it was the right it could be second tour and if the second round of elections anyone have anyone anyone could beat them would be don't put it says let in the risk of the opposition politicians here in russia spotlight will be back after a break so stay with us and. from los angeles to chicago to birmingham twenty trauma centers have closed since two thousand severe problem is not enough inpatient beds not enough urgency department that's and not enough nurses to man those that seek to take care of all the people who are the only real health care system that we have in the city of los angeles is the los angeles fire department in fact when i started my ventures

a firefighter i didn't want to carry around so i started out running just do firefighting it's about eighty two percent of what we do the florida problem is medical i've had a rescue couple weeks ago waited four hours for big i've waited sometimes three hours but i was it's a st francis in lynnwood for four hours and fifty minutes standing against a wall of patients and we have a federal law that mandates that if you can't turn no one away who seeks care in an emergency room. we have the most expensive health care system in the world and it's probably valued the least.

welcome back to spotlight i'm all grown up in just a reminder that my guest on the show today is less image of an opposition politician here in the show. let's get back to those rallies that we've been talking about the rallies. that are demanding more transparency and never. rule of law but first of all they they are the most of the people say the elections in december we're not transparent enough and they want to guarantee that the presidential election the main election issue will be transparent ok now mainstream politicians many journalists. claim that these manifestations that we see here were

masterminded by american experts colored revolution than that and that they actually were organized by u.s. sponsored activists you're one of the activists so how do you react to that what well was there any ground for us to check your patients you know i could say the influence of the united states for on the russian policy i think it's a lowest for last decades a bomb administration is very passive. they caught a whole money supporting democracy all the world they begin restart policy which is very. friendly reset reset very friendly for putin and it only idiots or propagandists could say the united states stay behind this process brought us moment i can give you one example you know for organizing this millions meant we need money to to to to order with seen this voice and source

on all money will collected by the people thousands of people just send money five hundred rubles one thousand rubles three hundred rubles on or on our special open foundation so we raised money for a lot through the internet some of the through the internet we're raised money from regular people to order all this all this machinery all of this me or this is not you know no one cent from this maybe forever of the accusations because because using the internet for organizing mass rallies is is what. the technologies that is being claimed invented by the americans now not really. in africa in russia we have very. restrictive legislation about that no one ruble from abroad could be used and it's very clear and it's very much under control of the state so it's a good example as this movement is transparent. it compare with elections absolutely

transparent. and moved by people themselves ok enough to know the claim by those who oppose the opposition is that if you win. the elections or whatever there will be unrest in the country because because the opposition is not ready it said it's not united there are many tensions inside the opposition there isn't a leader ready to take responsibility and. so on and so forth so why do you think that you for example personally that you do have a mandate to represent the people who gave them and you know no one to give them and do it but we have opinion polls we had we made the independent opinion poll on sucker of the new story but it could be according to opinion polls i think television presenters have very high ratings but they can't represent i

don't know in fact they are not really there but there will be concrete questions about confidence to the little house. the vigorous being as politicians as not politicians i am one of them so we have some some credit of confidence from the people what you are absolutely right. we don't want to destroy the country we don't want to be lucia we we strongly against any while and and all actions already in moscow as you know been absolutely peaceful and absolutely safe safe for people. we guarantee safety for the people we need political reforms and we believe that political reforms democratic reforms will strengthen the russia but not my classes because i have already mentioned that something is already happening including something happening with your own party and your own life as the politician following the decision of the european human rights court the. supreme

court of russia ruled that the liquidation of your republican party was illegal now what made it happen and is it is is it a sign of our of something or simply have some bad news for my european friends and for my colleagues it's absolutely stupid story five years ago my party was liquidated despite my part it was all the liberal party in russia republican party of five years later i warn european court of human for human rights in strasbourg in january i won the russian supremes course and decision of superior court was according to the european court decision that liquidation was illegal what happened after that minister of justice of russia mr khan a while ago built to superior court again to liquidate my party despite two court decisions european court of what it means that the government still tried to stop activity of my body does that mean that the minister of justice is breaking

the law because absolutely behind it was a because the ministry of justice is the executive branches and it has to abate the court the supreme court decision absolutely and he does and absolutely that means that he appeals yes but does he have the right to appeal they have a right but it's very strange if you have to the citizens court decisions it it's difficult to believe that european court of the supremes court of russia in the again it builds a two to last party he's appealing to the constitutional court not the supreme court again but but it's you know it's a legal procedure it's a little it's a difficult legal procedure well they're trying to make life after you're in a position of this is not ok but i remember one of the actions after the next elections and i can't participate elections. last five years and i again can't participate elections because minister of justice is still trying to break this is one of european court insuperable is. well that's

a bad signal that means that russian state russian government says he'll. repressively think in the both political opposition well iraq received bureaucracy is always sort of it's not just rhetoric decision it's a little this is a bit it's a fighting against a position as well it was last five years what do they tell you you do have contacts with with people behind the kremlin walls of course yes they do they said to do they explain their decision its interest and no one takes the responsibility here no one everyone says that's not me i don't know i ask another guy that's not me no one no one takes responsibility on him but who makes a decision it's a question well but what's your feeling will your party be restored by the next parliamentary election due in six years i think so yes you think you think and i hope my hope my hope is that it will be not only my party is one of my partners

with russia but will be much hope that we will be really united in strong liberal body is that it will be if it will be united liberal party it could take twenty twenty five thirty percent obama meant elections and be one of the biggest political parties and here you are optimistic this is not an optimistic not because of power not about not because of mr because of i see russian society has changed for the last ten years and the russian society now is totally different with the ninety's in the ninety's it was. and very split a decided this is almost without middle class now it's my much more prosperous society with massive middle class and now as a historian i could say that maybe it's the first time in russian history for last thousand years when we have real social betterment for democracy and these people of that race it's a signal that we have civil society demanding democracy there is an interesting

opinion there pinion is that that maybe putin is. so clever that he is he wants to liberalize this legislation on party registration in order to make more small little early and make them confront and not let them unite into one big movement may that be true absolutely i think it's dear to split liberals land can turn small liberal parties to split the left flank on small left parties to split so-called put on twenty or thirty so-called pejorative parties but we must be smart enough not to game this player not to play this game and it is my point that we need strong united liberal party and this strong united liberal party will collect million of wards and seventy percent of people who've

been on sorrow or be liberals according to opinion polls isn't there but there is so award that i'm a u.i. historian and you've been in the studio in this capacity we talked about his history and very process with the well if we look not at america and england but east european countries post a tele tearing countries post to tell a tear in democracies we see that in all of these countries mainly there is the new democratic party and the old socialist communist who are opposing the russia well who also have begun upon us so maybe the future of russian democracy is either put in this party or the or the near all communists. and there's no place for you or for the liberals like you know i don't think so he's either too big you know players when i when i think about russia i think it's very much similar to poland now to check republic to hungary so i mean that we have we have different

groups in society we have strong left left left. movement potentially communists and social democrats we have so-called nationalist and preacher olds but we have real real liberal parts of society as i said previously twenty twenty five maybe thirty percent and and and and drama of current russian politics is that this this segment big cities well educated people are not represented in political system thank you thank you very much for coming i wish you free and fair elections and the same to you wherever you're watching just to remind you that my guest today was applied in a rush to russian opposition and that's it for now from all of us if you want to have your cell spotlight or have someone in mind who you think i should if you next time to drop me a spotlight will be back with more firsthand comments on what's going on in and outside russia until then stay on our team and take your.