21:15, 13 September 2004

Putin's statements produce various reactions

Statements issued by Vladimir Putin during today's conference in the Kremlin concerning the appointment of heads of the regions by the higher authorities have produced various reactions on the part of the community in Kabardino-Balkaria. Head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Human Rights Center Valery Khatazhukov said: "It isn't clear what effect the center wants to have from it. Those whom the Kremlin wants come to power in the regions in 90 percent of the cases, you know. To make such a decision means to violate principles of federalism. We're moving from the federal state to the unitary one. I'm afraid civil freedoms in Russia will be severely limited in the end. There's been no terror attack in the United States after September 11. And the reason for it isn't at all that they've limited their democratic freedoms, special services have simply started to work better."

President Putin announced during the enlarged session of the Cabinet that higher officials in Russia's regions must be elected by Legislative Assemblies at the president's suggestion.

Author: Lyudmila Maratova, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot