hello again the welcome to spotlight. on i tunes i am today my guest is. a month before the presidential election russia has faced the first major opposition rally 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 put them back to the kremlin while others say put must return the latter believe to russian change while pushing 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. three five years later reached the top of his governmental career when he was appointed deputy prime minister with a responsibility for social issues which however a few days later say it was not easy area of expertise after spending fifteen years in parliament has become one of the most active opponents of the established power and has helped to mind the protest rally. hello 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 in the russian press and do you think that these people really can influence the kremlin today. you know this this

protest movement is weighted why. it includes as well politicians as well just regular citizens and i could say that may mean maybe seventy percent of protesters not. are 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 when putin and medvedev proclaimed that they will change their. this combination and when they said that's 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 you know of making the choice it was a little bit cynical it was

a little bit little bit a trick not politics is 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 at the russians are not used to it yet do you agree as what we 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 tzarist model boris yeltsin had success you know what he made a point of his success sort 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 circles one of the most you know i've been managed democracy he called he called did the the sovereign democracy and the so this is the russian way so here i mean it may be 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. the main 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 even agrees to do that it's about twenty five thirty percent of population and this angry middle class not accept more these brought czarist model was first reason of this mess protests and second concrete reason for the results of duma lections fourth of december you remember that first mass action was next tonight after the elections fifth of december there it was huge will open

a square election of the then was biggest action on so how are 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 all they wanted more transparency they want to be sure that the elections are thorough and there was a we should that they did so absolutely going into the law and they feel that they that they may have been deprived of their choices their absolute well let's take a look now at the most recent rallies in moscow which took place last saturday here's a report from spotlight. despite temperatures of minus twenty celsius moscow st well boiling with political activity on the fourth of february nothing seems to be able to cool down the heated debates which have been building as the presidential election approaches for mass two 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 this 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 house where 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 right in there 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 lagging behind civil society which has become more mature active and responsible. so putin has. admitted that the government needs to catch up with the civil society right he has 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 i am pursuing this because you know on both no square and soccer i mean you know be adopted five 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 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 and complex political reforms registration of opposition parties. free elections a new formation of electoral in this new space something is 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 at all it'll then it's ok i'm skeptical and i have reasons for that other demands he mentioned three demands you know number the number with things 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 mind people and no one representative in the national parliament because i followed a number and number five is. number five is new presidential elections if common presidential elections will not be free in on us as well as the settlers 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 those what you rallies 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 had the same day and same time as the opposition rally wasn't that

a sign that the kremlin is not ready for dialogue 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 xander 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 feels to rally in the same but was and it sure of head of electoral commission and against for civic eight years 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 on the website 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 it always does do you do you believe that there is a person in russia who could beat putin and the upcoming elections. you know you can you can you give a lot of the 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 putin and most loyal to putin see warm and gives fifty fiftieth's or so difference is ten percent but even if he were the right it could be second tour and if it will be a 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. wealthy british style. is not to. go. to. market why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy with max cons or a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to gaza report on our.

welcome back to spotlight i'm all going up in just a reminder that my guest on the show today is lousy but i don't scoff and opposition politician here in russia. let's get back to those rallies that we've been talking about the rallies that are demanding more transparency and they're mocking rule of law small but first of all they they put most of the people say the elections in december was 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 on colored revolutions and 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 what is there any ground for us to check is ations. no i could see 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 cut whole money supporting democracy all the wall they begin restart policy which is very. friendly reset reset and very very friendly for putin and it only idiots or propagandists could say that the united states stay behind this process brought us the moment i can give you one example you know for organizing this millions meant we need money to to to to order 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 your arm on a special open foundation so we raised money for all through the internet are some of the through the internet will raise money from regular people to order all this all this machinery all of this me or these no one no one cent from this maybe forever of the accusations because because using the internet for organizing mass rallies is one of the technologies that is being claimed invented by the americans no not really have they have been arrested 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. if 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. 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 sort of the new story but according to do two opinion polls i think television presenters have very high ratings but they can't represent are not in fact they are not really there that there will be concrete questions about confidence to the little house. on the vigorous being 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 reward lucian 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 question well 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 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 the rush of republican party of five years later i warn european court of human for human rights in strasbourg in january i won the russian supreme court decision of supremes court what was it called in the european court decision that liquidation was illegal what happened after that minister of justice of russia mr cano while two days ago it peeled to superior court again to liquidate my party despite two court decisions european court of appeal got 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 because the ministry of justice is the

executive branches and it has to abate the court the supreme court decision absolutely and he doesn't absolutely it 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 again it builds to last party he's appealing to the constitutional court not the supreme court again but it's again 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 a vote the time 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 all of european court insuperable. it's a bad signal that means that russian state russian government. repressively think in the both political opposition well iraq received iraq receives always sort

of it's not just rhetoric this is not so little this is about it's the fighting against a position as well that was lost five years what did he tell you you do have contacts with with people behind the kremlin walls of course yes they do this 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 presidential 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 with the much hope that we will be really united in strong liberal party is that it will be if it will be united liberal party it could take twenty

twenty five thirty percent of violent elections and be one of the biggest political parties and here you are optimistic yes this is the i want to mistake 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 who're. 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 the last thousand years when we have real social basement for democracy and these people of that race it's a signal that we have civil society demanding democracy there is an interesting opinion 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 liberal and i really applaud them and make the confront and not let them unite into one big movement may that be true absolutely i think it's dear to split liberals land content 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 play not 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 i was going to say you are a 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 the american england but our east european countries post to tell italian countries post to tell a terran democracies we see that in all of these countries mainly there is the new democratic party and the old socialist or communist who are posing in the russian well who also have begun upon us so maybe the future of russian democracy. he is either in his party or in the car or the mill 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 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 purchase outs but

we have real real liberal part 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 serious 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 where average you're watching just to remind you that my guest today was applied in the rest of the russian opposition and that's it for now from all of us if you want to have your say and spotlight you 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.

the close up team has been to the bar of. where the country's middle starts its way across the ocean. now our team goes to the area. looking to a different card to represent itself. for local businesses are striving to build the aviation capital of russia. and for the four by fours are made and can be tested to the limit. welcome to the. russia. more news today violence is once again flared up. these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. china. today.

president assad confirms his willingness to negotiate with the opposition to end of a bloody conflict in syria this comes after talks in damascus between president assad and russian foreign minister sergey lavrov the country's opposition indicates it's too close to be prepared to sit at the negotiating table welcoming russia as a mediator mediator. and as russia steps up diplomatic efforts to end of the crisis in syria major european countries recall their ambassadors from damascus the gulf states along with spain france italy and of another one say damascus has failed to take steps to end the bloodshed earlier in the week the u.k. ordered its ambassador home while the u.s. closed its embassy altogether. in athens riot police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of demonstrators protesting against new austerity measures while

the government struggles to agree on measures needed to secure a second bailout greece desperately needs the one hundred thirty billion euros from international creditors to avoid a default in march. peter lavelle asks his guests about the stock market flotation of the world's biggest social media site facebook can it maintain its idealism despite public ownership and how many millionaires will be created overnight find out next on cross talk. technology innovation all the developments around russia. the future.