Interfax's Interview

 Federation Council Speaker and leader of the Fair Russia party Sergei Mironov said in interview with Interfax that his position on altering the term of office for the president, among other things, was dictated by the situation in regional legislatures following the March 11 elections.

 "The situation following the March legislative elections in the regions has prompted this idea. I can see United Russia beginning to vanquish all and everyone. United Russia has gone as far as allowing itself to interfere in the president's prerogatives," Mironov told Interfax.

 "United Russia is preaching love for the president everywhere, but none of its leaders has said in any coherent terms what Fair Russia has been advocating all along," he said.
 "What I mean is, the continuation of the incumbent president's course beyond 2008. Our party advocates this. Incidentally, not long ago United Russia did speak on the issue, but only while commenting on my proposals, when silence was no longer possible," Mironov said.

 "United Russia is losing ground under its feet. They have distributed portfolios and are beginning to steer the country. Isn't it too early, comrades? I am absolutely convinced that my initiative has cooled many hotheads, which have long discarded Putin, as an outgoing presdeint, and are moving along without him. But where they are going is a big question," the Federation Council speaker said.

 Sergei Mironov says also that his party must win against United Russia, the Russian Communist Party and the Russian Liberal Democratic Party at upcoming Duma elections.
 "If our opponents unite and give us a chance to represent the interests of our voters in the regions, it means there must be one conclusion - our party must win against United Russia, the Russian Communist Party, and the Russian Liberal Democratic Party," Mironov said.

 He said that the party would strengthen its ranks by attracting those political groups that would make the appropriate decisions once the actual situation is assessed.
 "The experience of regional elections shows that there will be no coalitions, it will be a game with one absolute winner, and the United Party will be the one behind the steering wheel. Today this party is turning into some sort of a new personnel department and decides on its own whether or not someone is to be a governor or a member of the Federation Council. This is why I am saying to the people from United Russia: think twice," Mironov said.

 The speaker said that the Liberal Democratic Party's alliance with United Russians to distribute posts in the new Legislative Assembly in St. Petersburg did not come as a surprise to him.

 At the same time, Mironov said that what the Communist representatives did in St. Petersburg's Legislative Assembly was a complete surprise. "I have never had any particular illusions about the Communist Party's leadership - I mean their conformism and the ability to abandon their principles for the sake of convenience. It is very convenient to scream about an unpopular regime and live quite comfortably in this regime. Such behavior demonstrates a total lack of principles and the cynicism of the Communist leaders," Mironov said.

 Mironov said he wants Russia to pursue the course shaped by the president, after 2008. "While saying this I am well aware that Vladimir Putin is the best candidate to take this course further," he said.

 During the signing of the counter-extremism charter, the Leader of the Fair Russia party and Federation Council speaker said that consultations are necessary ahead of the signing of the charter on measures to counter extremism, while the signing ceremony itself should be held in public.

 "The signing of the charter should be in public; however, consultations and discussions at the level of all parties should be held ahead of the ceremony," the speaker said.

 The Fair Russia party has received proposals to come up with such a charter, he said. "The idea was discussed at a meeting between the president and the leaders of the largest parties. In general, the document is aimed at countering extremism. We endorsed the document; however, this was not a legally binding document," Mironov said.

 The idea of signing such a charter is right, he said. "However, the devil is in the details. The variant we endorsed is in line with the logic of countering extremism," he said.
 All aspects are more or less defined in the version, he said. At the same time, if appeals by the party for justice and social protection are treated as extremism, then Fair Russia is be resolutely against, he said.

 "Should one say that one cannot come up with slogans calling for better life, for increased wages, we cannot accept this," Mironov said.

 Sergei Mironov says also that his party must win against United Russia, the Russian Communist Party and the Russian Liberal Democratic Party at upcoming Duma elections.
 "If our opponents unite and give us a chance to represent the interests of our voters in the regions, it means there can be only one conclusion - our party must beat United Russia, the Russian Communist Party, and the Russian Liberal Democratic Party," Mironov said.

 He said that the party would strengthen its ranks by attracting those political groups that would make the appropriate decisions once the actual situation is assessed.

 "The experience of regional elections shows that there will be no coalitions, it will be a game with one absolute winner, and the United Party will be the one behind the steering wheel. Today this party is turning into a sort of personnel department and decides on its own whether or not someone is to be a governor or a member of the Federation Council. This is why I am saying to the people from United Russia: think twice," Mironov said.
 The speaker said that the Liberal Democratic Party's alliance with United Russians to distribute posts in the new Legislative Assembly in St. Petersburg did not come as a surprise to him.

 In contrast, he said what the Communist representatives did in St. Petersburg's Legislative Assembly was a complete surprise. "I have never had any particular illusions about the Communist Party's leadership - I mean their conformism and the ability to abandon their principles for the sake of convenience. It is very convenient to scream about an unpopular regime and live quite comfortably in this regime. Such behavior demonstrates a total lack of principles and the cynicism of the Communist leaders," Mironov said.

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