Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Russia

Russians Question Medvedev In Online Forum

Dmitry Medvedev (file photo) (epa)

March 5, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev today allowed Russian citizens to question him online -- answering inquiries on health care, education, housing, and agriculture.

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March 05, 2007

Medvedev was asked about issues ranging from mortgage rates and the supply of medicine to language education in Russia.

Medvedev said local authorities should decide about Ukrainian language education in schools. He also said that as digital television expands in Russia, programming will be available in multiple languages -- including educational programming.

"I hope that, at some point when we've already made the full-fledged transition to digital -- and of course this will take some time -- that any citizen living in our country will have the possibility to use digital channels to watch television in Ukrainian or other languages of the CIS, other languages of the former Soviet republics," he said.

Most analysts consider Medvedev and First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov as leading contenders in Russia's 2008 presidential election.

(with material from ITAR-TASS, Interfax)

Russia's Democratic Development

Demonstrators speak with local politicians in Butovo about the destruction of a local forest in July 2006 (RFE/RL)

IS RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY MANAGING? Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Western powers seek to pressure Russia under the pretext of concern over its democratic development. He has said Russia is ready to listen to "well-intentioned criticism," but will not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs. The Kremlin has been criticized for stifling political oppostion, increasing central control over the media, and cracking down on the work on nongovernmental organizations.

Concerns Raised About Moscow Chairing Rights Committee

Using Racism Is A Time-Honored Kremlin Tool

Putin Comes Under Fire At Global Media Congress

Oligarch's Case A Sign Of The Times

'Letter Of 100' Warns That Putin Is Suppressing Democracy

A Hard-Line Agenda For Putin's Second Term

Book Says Putin's Russia Falls 'Between Democracy and Dictatorship'

NGOs Denounce Status Changes As Move To Curb Activities

Scrutiny Of Foreign Funds Hurts Democracy Programs

U.S. Official Says Russian NGO Law Part Of Antidemocratic Trend

For news and analysis on Russia by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Russia Report."

Syrians in the northwestern town of Kfar Nubul pose with a cartoon depicting Russia

Angry Over Syria, Arab World Threatens Russian Boycott

Groups in a number of Arab states, angry over the Russian-Chinese veto of a UN resolution aimed at stopping the violence in Syria, have called for a one-day boycott of Russian and Chinese goods on February 12. More

Alla Dzhioyeva attends a protest by her supporters in Tskhinvali on January 28.

South Ossetian Opposition Leader Hospitalized After Raid

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Protesters gather behind a banner reading "Honest Elections" during a demonstration in Moscow on February 4.

How To Rig An Election

A whistle-blower in Samara explains how the authorities fixed the Duma elections in December -- and plan to do the same in the presidential vote in March. More