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PUTIN: HOPES AND DOUBTS

For the first time since perestroyka of the 1980s, a man has appeared in the upper power echelons who has broad support among a considerable part of the population, in various Duma factions and even among dissatisfied intellectuals. The Kremlin extols Putin, which is quite understandable, as he is its hope and support. Local authorities also stand for Putin. The officers' corps admires him. In several months of sudden travels and impetuous activity, he has managed to rise in view as a tough, decisive leader, which the country has needed after a decade of inactivity and disappointment. And it is not for nothing that Boris Yeltsyn, dropping a voting bulletin into the urn, pronounced the phrase: "People want changes". By this key phrase, the former President involuntarily explained the "putinomania" phenomenon.

Critically assessing the results of nine years of reforms, Vladimir Putin, in his message to the Federal Assembly, his first such message in the capacity of the country's President, has expressly distanced himself from the dramatic mistakes of previous authorities.

Outlining the contours of a new strategy, the head of state is ready to act. He might be too hasty in some things; at some moments he is armed with ideas, which are not quite elaborated on and are "raw", because he does not want to wait, to lose tempo. He needs to move forward, to maximally use the rare potential of the people's confidence. Today he faces the future quite confidently. Maybe he even idealises something, misjudges something:

The Russian society pins much hope on the Putin name. At the same time, the barrenness of reforms being conducted during the past decade also gives birth to some doubts by the people. Will the market transformations continue? Will adherence to liberal valuables be preserved? Or is the country awaiting a recoil to the large-scale state "regulation" and eventually to the authoritarism? Will equal possibilities be secured for all market participants? Is the President an unconditional adept of democracy? By what means, will the situation in the North Caucasus be estabilised?

If you are interested in these problems; if you want to trace the path of V.Putin's ascent to power, to assess his steps on reforming the state power and the economy, remain with us... more...