VOA常速英语2007-Putin Lays Out Plan to Continue Leading Russia

By Anya Ardayeva
Moscow
25 October 2007
 

Three months ahead of parliamentary elections in Russia, and six months before the country's presidential poll, it is not clear who is likely to replace President Vladimir Putin in power. Perhaps no one. Russia's constitution bars Mr. Putin from seeking a third consecutive¹ term, and he has denied speculation² that he might seek changes to remain president. But the popular former KGB agent has indicated he is open to becoming prime minister. Anya Ardayeva looks at possible developments in Russian politics in the months and years ahead.

It was a scene reminiscent of the Soviet³ era – massive party congress and an appreciative⁴ audience applauding a leader's speech.

Only it is October 2007, and it is not the communists, but the pro-Kremlin United Russia Party and the country's president Vladimir Putin, at center stage saying he will head the party's ticket in December elections, and might become prime minister after his second term expires in March.

Analysts⁶ say Vladimir Putin's decision will most likely guarantee the party an overwhelming victory in December parliamentary elections. And that means that the next Duma, or the Russian lower house of parliament, will be even more pro-Kremlin.

Nikolai Petrov of the Carnegie Endowment in Moscow tells us, "If Mr. Putin is leading their list, they can count on 70 percent of votes, which doesn't let a lot of votes for all other contenders, and instead of having four parties in parliament, which was planned until this, Mr. Putin's move, we can speak now about two, three perhaps, parties in parliament."

Meanwhile, another political movement, the Other Russia opposition⁷ coalition⁸, was refused the right to participate in the upcoming elections. Authorities maintain the movement lacked proper registration⁹ criteria¹⁰ under the new law on political parties.

The leader of the coalition, former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, says he will run for president even if his movement does not make it to the lower house of the Russian parliament. "The goal of the Other Russia is not winning election, but to have an election,” he said. “We are trying to force the regime to accept our rights to participate in free and fair elections."

Garry Kasparov's chances appear small. Recent polls say Vladimir Putin's popularity among

Russians exceeds 80 percent. Kremlin-connected analyst⁵ Sergei Markov explains why. "Public expectations are focused on Vladimir Putin, because he turned out to be a very successful president. Unexpectedly successful. And his program is widely supported. And people are afraid that if there is a new president in Russia after Putin, he might be someone like Boris Yeltsin, or Mikhail Gorbachev."

Vladimir Putin is given credit for bringing much-needed economic and political stability to Russia. Its economy had suffered from years of unsuccessful reforms in the 1990s and is currently experiencing an economic boom based on high oil prices. And that, analysts say, is the main reason for Mr. Putin's popularity.

Critics say another reason is the opposition's inability to effectively criticize the Kremlin's policies, because most of the media in Russia is controlled by the state. The West has repeatedly accused Moscow of rolling back democratic freedoms, stifling¹¹ opposition and limiting freedom of speech. The Kremlin denies the allegations.

Again, Sergei Markov of the Russian Institute. "When American officials talk about democracy, the modern Russian citizen looks at it and sees only flashing dollars in their eyes, and he sees their silent suggestion: 'Give us Russian oil and gas. Then we will say you are a democracy. Leave the market of modern weapons, oil pipelines¹², and then we say you are a democracy'."

Six months before his presidential mandate¹³ expires, Vladimir Putin unexpectedly appointed 66-year-old financial regulator Viktor Zubkov as the country's new prime minister. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Zubkov, who is known for his loyalty¹⁴ to Mr. Putin, said he might run for the presidency¹⁵. Three weeks later, Mr. Putin announced he might become a prime minister under the new president. 

Evgeni Volk of the Moscow office of the Heritage Foundation, says the idea is "to make Mr. Zubkov the president, Mr. Putin will become the prime minister and rather weak president. And actually in this case, even some constitutional changes could be made, allowing the prime minister, in this case Mr. Putin, to have a larger mandate."

And this scenario¹⁶, analysts say, could work for everybody – the Russian public and the West. Unlike making changes to the constitution to allow Mr. Putin to stay for a third term in office, this political scheme does not violate any laws and allows the Russian leader to run again in 2012, something the United Russia Party members are already suggesting.

1 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

2 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

3 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

4 appreciative   

adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的

参考例句：

• She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
• We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

10 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

11 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

12 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

13 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

14 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

16 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。