Governor Sergei Sobyanin Believes "United Russia" Should Increase Its Influence In Regions

On Saturday, in an interview with RIA Novosti, Tyumen region governor Sergei Sobyanin, who was elected at the constituent congress, Saturday, to the Supreme Soviet of the All-Russian Party "Union and Fatherland" ("United Russia"), said that in order to become a really majority party the party should first of all increase its influence in the regions. He stressed that "without establishing strong regional branches it would be impossible to create a strong party". "Local party branches will have to take an active part in gubernatorial, parliamentary elections and elections to local government bodies," said Sobyanin. Only in that case it will turn into a structure the population will be taking seriously.