DO NOT PLOT AGAINST THE SPEAKER

There is another row raging at the State Duma. This time, it concerns Duma Chairman Gennadi Seleznyov and Vice-Chairman Vladimir Zhirinovski. The latter gave today some helpful hints to Mr. Seleznyov on how best to organize his business trips abroad after which Mr.Zhirinovski got a couple of helpful hints on how to behave. According to RIA Novosti, Mr. Zhirinovski offered Mr. Seleznyov to fly regular flights instead of special flights, as it has been practiced. Mr. Zhirinovski claimed it costed the Duma 10 times dearer. Moreover, Mr. Zhirinovski, who also is leader of the so-called Liberal Democratic Party, urged Mr. Seleznyov to cancel his visits to a number of Latin-American countries scheduled for late-November, which, in Mr. Zhirinovski’s view, made “no practical sense.” “Those are far-away regions and insignificant countries,” contended the vice-speaker. Mr. Seleznyov replied that the “vice-speaker should not insult foreign countries and divide them into significant and insignificant.” As for special flights, they are envisaged by the Law of the Supreme State Officials. Finally, Mr. Seleznyov asked Mr. Zhirinovski “not to plot.”