Brussels, 15 May: Russian People's Democratic Union leader and former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has given a critical assessment of the newly formed [bodies of] executive power in Russia.

"The forming of the government and other appointments do not send any message to the public that the political course will change," Kasyanov told Interfax news agency today.

"The principle of forming the government is inconsistent with political and professional logic," he added.

Kasyanov intends to address a conference dedicated to the situation in Russia, which will be held in Brussels today.

As part of the event organized by the faction of the European People's Party of the European Parliament, the sessions on "Europe and Russia: New challenges and common interests", "Russia, energy and the European Union: Interdependence", "Russia after elections: Is there potential for common values", and "Russia and European neighbours" will be held, Kasyanov's aide Yelena Dikun told Interfax on 14 May.

Kasyanov, who will address the session "Russia after elections: Is there potential for common values", will speak about "valuable changes that have happened in Russia over the last five years and about the latest State Duma and presidential elections being neither free nor fair", Dikun said.

As a result, according to Kasyanov, "illegitimate authorities - executive and legislative - have been formed in the country, and all institutions of democratic society have been abolished. Not one reform has been started in Russia in the last five years; many previously started reforms were stopped and some of them even reversed", Dikun said.

However, Kasyanov believes, "there is a chance that Russia's new president will realize the harmfulness of the current political course and change the situation", she added.

The Russian People's Democratic Union singles out four priority tasks that the Russian leadership should carry out first of all to gradually return the situation to a legitimate course.

"This includes ensuring real freedom of public and political activities, ensuring freedom of speech and the mass media, stopping the lawlessness of law-enforcement agencies, revising illegal sentences and releasing prisoners and holding an early parliamentary election in 2009," Dikun said.

Kasyanov believes that "after a few months it will be possible to judge whether the Russian leadership is ready to overcome self-isolation and return to the basic democratic values shared in greater Europe", she added.

It is on the basis of these values that sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the EU is possible in all spheres, from economic to humanitarian, Dikun said.