Anna Kolchak: Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street only for Council of Federation

The district assembly of the Tverskaya town council of the Moscow Central Administrative District addressed the Moscow City Duma ,protesting against Vice Mayor Valeri Shantsev’s decision regarding the closing of Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street for traffic. This protest can be understood: Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street is one of the main transport lines in the Moscow center, which now suffers from too many cars and a badly organized traffic system. Actually, the street is already partly impassible, for communications are being repaired almost constantly. It is hardly easy to turn to this street from Okhotny Ryad, because the State Duma is situated here, so the cars of the deputies usually drive there. Of course, the State Duma is a serious body, but what should other citizens do who do not belong to this serious body? On the whole, the traffic is almost well organized in the city, though every third car has a right to violate traffic regulations: President Administration, the government, representatives of various bodies, the police, the FSB, and about a dozen other organizations. Cars belonging to these people are allowed to violate traffic regulations. It must be added that for every big chief who is driving through Moscow, some streets are being blocked. So some the drivers’ indignation can be understood. And now, one more initiative from the Council of the Federation, which is situated in Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. The senators say it is not very suitable to park there. That is right. Though why improve something if they can simply address the Moscow authorities with the request just to block the street. However, of course, the street will be closed not for everybody: the cars of Council of Federation’s representatives must drive through without difficulty. Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov understands this decision cannot be popular, so he gave over this question to his deputy, Valeri Shantsev. Valeri Shantsev in his turn delivered the project to Committee of Architecture and Town-Planning. Though, the local authority suddenly opposed is plan. Now, the supreme city authorities will pressure the district assembly. However, it is completely useless to ask who is right: 9 million Moscow citizens do not have any real rights in their city. Besides, is it possible for a senator to walk the whole block on foot from Pushkin square? What would you say to this idea: to apportion a separate carriage in an underground train for Council of Federation, let it even be with gilded handrail and gilded lavatory pans. For all that, it is for authorities…