Degutiene: Elections in Russia - political facade

  • 2012-02-29

VILNIUS - Elections in Russia is only a political facade, though, there are some indications showing that the country's civil society is forming, Seimas Speaker Irena Degutiene said to the News Radio, reports LETA.

"Any elections in Russia are not real elections but only a political facade. According to observations of analysts, real opposition is pushed outside the present political system and eliminated from the elections. Vladimir Putin's opponents in elections got a role to create an illusion of fair elections. However, I do not see any normal competitiveness and I really regret to say that democracy in Russia has not been apparent yet," she said.

However, Degutiene has noticed some positive changes in the Russian political system. She said it gives hope that Russia might become a more democratic country in the future.