Inna Semyonova: Duma’s most scandalous deputy Zhirinovsky appeals for peace and quiet

One of the most odious parliamentarians of Russia, Duma’s vice-speaker and leader of the Liberal and Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky surprised the politicians yesterday. He urged his colleagues to hold the last plenary session “as quietly as it is possible”. Vladimir Zhirinovsky mentioned that Europe was celebrating Christmas holidays, and the whole situation was rather quiet there. No connection between the Catholic Christmas and Russia’s parliament can be seen, but such appeals for peace and quiet at consideration of laws are always welcome. Vladimir Zhirinovsky even enjoyed applause of the colleagues after the appeals.

There have already been lots of appeals for peace and quiet in the State Duma, but often even the initiators of the appeals themselves broke the deputy ethics. And not only verbal squabbles are meant here, we even saw some deputies slap, kick their colleagues or pull their hair. And Deputy Zhirinovsky was among those deputies as well. His scandals with Deputies Yevgeniya Tishkovskaya and Boris Nemtsov were public.

Such scandals help journalists make reporting from the Duma more vivid. Law-making process is very boring, on the whole: deputies consider laws and make amendments – such reports are hardly interesting for the audience.

But the deputies are very much like ordinary people and need peace and quiet for a successful and fruitful work. It is not clear so far, whether Zhirinovsky’s appeals will work, but let us hope for the best, at least.

Inna Semyonova PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

In the photo: Vladimir Zhirinovsky

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/12/26/35136.html