Russian Duma Rejects No-confidence Motion Against Government

The Russian State Duma Wednesday vetoed by a wide margin a no-confidence vote against the government, which was initiated by the opposition Communist Party.

The motion only gained support from 127 deputies, far below the 226 votes required to secure passage in the 450-seat Duma. Large numbers of lawmakers chose not to cast ballots. As expected, the motion were only supported by the Communists and their Agrarian Party allies.

The pro-Kremlin Unity Party, which had earlier suggested a backing to the vote as a tactical move to gain larger Duma representation, was among those refused to vote. So did Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov, a member of the Communist faction.

Delegates from the Union of Right Forces (SPS) declared against the vote and were supported by dozens from the People's Deputy and Regions of Russia groups. The failure of the voting was almost certain after the Unity Party, which holds 84 seats in parliament as the second largest party faction, decided Tuesday not to take part in the vote.

Vyacheslav Violin, a representative from the Fatherland All- Russia, offered a view of why most Center-Right groups have shunned the vote, saying his faction "does not support the Communists' initiative, but also does not intend to laud the present government."

Andrei Korotkov, head of the government information department, said shortly after the vote that the government was satisfied with the voting result. It would "open up possibilities for the fruitful work of the Cabinet and the Duma on the package of bills necessary for the adoption of the 2002 budget," Korotkov said.

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who did not turn up at Wednesday's Duma session, thanked all factions and members of the State Duma for their rejection to the no-confidence vote. Kasyanov stressed he "hopes and counts on" positive cooperation between his government and the State Duma.

He said he was absent from the session because "it was not an invitation of the entire Duma for discussing the most important problems of the country, but a call from only one faction."

Duma Speaker Seleznyov warned that if the country's social- political situation and living standards do not improve, the no- confidence issue may arise again in this autumn.

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov appeared optimistic after the Duma vote, saying the president could now shake up his government and alter policies.

The no-confidence motion was the first since President Vladimir Putin came to power 14 months ago. Putin, by far the most popular politician in Russia, has had little trouble in securing the Duma' s approval for most of his proposals.






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