Russia 100414 Basic Political Developments

Editorial: Greece Needs Radical Spending Cuts

Vedomosti

The effect of the biggest collective special operation in the history of the EU, to rescue Greece at a cost of 40 billion euros ($54.2 billion), lasted a whole day.

Commentary: Exemplary Patriotism

By Vladimir Milov

Tens of thousands of Poles gathered in the streets of Warsaw to say goodbye to their president is a sight worth seeing.

Less Sand and Concrete Needed for Sochi

By Maxim Tovkailo

Initial assessments of the building materials needed for Sochi Olympic facilities have been overstated.

Russia Today: 14 April, 2010 in Russian Newspapers

http://rt.com/Top_News/Press/eng.html

Izvestiya: Poland reflects on the tragedy

The Acting President of Poland, Sejm Marshall, Bronislaw Komorowski, today, plans to announce the early presidential election date. The funeral of the late President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, and his wife Maria (her body was taken to Warsaw yesterday), who died in an airplane crash near Smolensk - has been scheduled for Sunday. What do the Polish newspapers write in these difficult for Poland times?

Ksenia Avdeeva (Warsaw)

From the first minutes of the latest Katyn tragedy, Poland’s television and press began helping the nation reflect on the event, understand the causes of the disaster, sort out the information in the complex pre-crisis political and economic situation, and to simply survive.

The focus of attention in the Polish press - is Lech Kaczynski. “Ironically, it was only after the president’s death that it had become known what a significant role he had played in Poland’s politics, what a large and an unchanging figure he represented on the political chessboard. Things were not easy with him. But, neither were they easy for him. He was a leader of a radical party, but was not a radical himself. For the most part, his political circle was tough, vengeful. Meanwhile, he was balanced, kind, and humane. Politics drove him into a trap. In his attempt to influence Poland’s policies, he had created a party that was far from what he had originally desired. He was never an independent political player, always walking side by side with his brother. President Kaczynski was also a child of the Pilsudski tradition, in the sense that -- independence -- was the main idea in his political thinking. He attached great importance to the traditions of the Warsaw Uprising, but was not interested in the modern world to such an extent that he would learn a foreign language or follow the international presses,” Poland’s weekly publication, Politika, writes about the late president. It is already known what will formally happen in the coming week. Presidential elections will take place before the end of June, because, in this case, the Acting President, Marshall Bronislaw Komorowski does not have any room to maneuver - he must announce the funeral date within the two weeks following the president’s death. This will be a short election campaign; a president must be elected within two months. The Sejm and the Senate will within 2-3 weeks elect vice Marshalls in accordance with party preferences. Bronislaw Komorowski must also nominate a new candidate for the post of chairman of Poland’s National Bank, who will be elected by the Sejm. Here, deadlines are not determined by the Constitution; but elections must be held without further delay,” reports Politika.

“The tragedy near Smolensk will profoundly change Poland’s politics. This was a blow to the government and political parties. Almost everything had changed. Law and Justice suffered a colossal loss, people, who played a big role in the party, are no longer here. But, no significant change of opinions did, or could have occurred. Death forces people to look at the deceased from another point of view, in another context. We look at who these people were in general, and do not recall the negative or unwise things they said. Now, Lech Kaczynski is presented as a heroic character from a different tale. Jaroslaw Kaczynski now seems a natural presidential candidate of the Law and Justice Party, and has greater chances than his brother once did. After all, he is his twin, and has the same face,” comments Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza.

“The two countries have never before conducted such a complex and consequential operation. The recent days called for many rapid decisions and close cooperation. According to the statements made by the Polish diplomats, they have received the needed support. On the tragic day Russian leaders addressed the Poles with a statement, expressing their sympathies,” recalls the newspaper, Rzeczpospolita.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta: The last battle

Veterans were killed in Moscow

Mikhail Falaleev

A brutal and mysterious crime was committed in the capital -- an elderly couple, who were veterans of the Great Patriotic War -- were shot and killed in their apartment. Evgeny Prantsuzov, born in 1926, died from a shot in the head. His wife, Anna Bondarenko, born in 1927, sustained two gun shots -- to the abdomen and the head.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta (RG) correspondent was informed by the Main Internal Affairs Directorate in Moscow that on April 12 their grandson raised the alarm -- he was concerned about the fact that his grandmother and grandfather were not answering their phone. When he arrived at their home, no one came to the door. Apartment number 69 on 9 Peschanaya Street was opened by the Ministry of Emergency Situations staff. As soon as the bodies were discovered, the police were called to the scene at approximately 09:20 in the evening.

National Economic Trends

APRIL 13, 2010, 3:58 P.M. ET

Dow Jones: Medvedev Adviser: Ruble Likely Won't Float Freely For Years

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100413-712060.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines
By Meena Thiruvengadam

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The Russian ruble likely will not float freely for at least three years, an economic adviser to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.

Arkady Dvorkovich commented on the ruble during a question-and-answer session after a speech at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He said he expects it will take at least three to five years before Russia's currency begins to float freely.

Russia, which uses a managed exchange-rate policy, has been discussing a move toward a free-floating exchange rate for the ruble for more than two years.

-By Meena Thiruvengadam, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6629; [e-mail]