|
Saturday, 15.09.2007
Putin’s new broom wants to root out corruption
André Ballin, Moscow. A Russian proverb says “new brooms sweep well”. The new Russian prime minister Viktor Zubkov seems intended as such a new broom – to sweep out the cobwebs of corruption.
|
|
“Dilettantism and corruption might yet destroy Russia,” Viktor Zubkov warned during his parliamentary address. And he is right. But this is hardly a new insight. During President Boris Yeltsin’s term in office, corruption became systematic – and was generally recognised as such.
|
Under Putin, for all his image as Mr. Clean, corruption has increased. At the start of the year, the Public Chamber reached the conclusion that corruption had grown over the last ten years to the extent that it now poses a threat to Russia’s national security. The authorities have done nothing to fight against corruption, apart from some political PR actions – since they are mostly complicit in it.
|
Zubkov, however, is a man who has introduced tough measures against money laundering in the past. His proposal to increase officials’ liability for their actions is a step in the right direction.
|
But success will only come if the law is applied consistently, including for top Kremlin officials. If Zubkov really intends to target corruption, one can only wish him success. He has a steeplechase ahead of him.
(ab/.rufo/Moscow)
|
|
