#14 - RW 271
Tribuna
August 28, 2003
WHO ARE THE BOSSES IN RUSSIA?
Criminals and oligarchs, the pollsters say
Results of opinion polls indicate...
Author: Igor Yelkov
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]

THE AGENCY OF REGIONAL POLITICAL STUDIES ORGANIZED A POLL RECENTLY AMONG 1,500 RESPONDENTS IN 32 RUSSIAN REGIONS, AND ONLY 15% WERE SO MAGNANIMOUS AS TO SAY THAT THE PRESIDENT IS THE BOSS IN RUSSIA. MANY MORE NAMED BIG BUSINESS AND ORGANIZED CRIME AS THOSE RUNNING THE COUNTRY.

It seems that doing opinion polls is a favorite pastime in Russia. Even when their results are predictable, they never fail to cause a sensation. The Agency of Regional Political Studies organized a poll recently among 1,500 respondents in 32 Russian regions.

According to 37% of respondents, real power in Russia is held by "big business and oligarchs". "Organized crime" holds power in Russia, 19% said, and only 15% were so magnanimous as to say that the president is the boss in Russia. All the rest are convinced that power is held by state officials of various calibers, parliament, and governors.

The situation is scandalous rather than sensational. Let us forget about the presidential rating (we all know what it is like), but lawmakers and governors could have done better. Only a pitiful 4% of respondents believe that lawmakers are important indeed and 2% speak in favor of governors.

It is really something when only 30 men and women out of 1,500 believe that their governor is important. Similarly, the discovery on the eve of the parliamentary election that 96% of respondents do not take lawmakers seriously is scandalous.

The national mentality of respondents should be taken into account. America has its own share of oligarchs, and their circle is not restricted to Bill Gates, George Soros, or the Rockfellers. Do you think their power aspirations worry the Americans? If you do, think again. If living standards in Russia even slightly approached those in the United States, the majority of the public would have lost all interest in the subject. A ruler's nature is more important than the ruler's identity.

(Translated by A. Ignatkin)

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