Russian democrats declare war on bureaucracy in the country

The Union of Right Forces (SPS), a Russian Liberal-Democratic party, stated that it had started the fight against bureaucracy in the country. Its first action in this campaign is the publication of "The Black Book of Bureaucracy." Irina Khakamada, one of the party's leaders, told the press conference in RIA Novosti on Monday that the book had been published in 600 copies and must serve forming public opinion on this problem.

The State Duma Vice Speaker underscored that the number of bureaucrats in the country had grown over the Soviet era.

In Russia today, said Khakamada, "the political class has given up its place to the bureaucratic class which has concentrated huge financial and administrative resources," said Khakamada.

The SPS faction in the State Duma today has submitted a law on lobbying, the guests of the press conference said. The law is aimed to combat bureaucrats' corruption, said its authors.

This law "will make it possible to build relations between business and power," believes Irina Khakamada.

"A political consolidation of power" is another measure for effectively combating corruption, she said.

"Today, unfortunately, the political class hands over its power to the bureaucratic class, while everything must be the other way around," said a leader of the Russian opposition party.