Communist leads Russia's shadow government

It takes huge efforts to promote federal laws in the Duma

A so-called “people's government of Russia” formed by the Russian Patriots coalition will gather for the first session early in April 2005.

Duma Deputy Gennady Semigin says “the people's government” will not deal with politics, but it will focus on implementation of regional programs. “It takes huge efforts to promote federal laws in the Duma, but it is an easier task to promote them in regional parliaments,” he said.

The shadow cabinet will request banks, businessmen and prominent business figures to finance alternative programs. The “people's government” plans to cooperate with the RF Public Chamber that is currently being formed. “We will oppose to the government, which is a more democratic way than that on which activity of the Public Chamber is based. We are ready to cooperate with the Public Chamber in case it is independent and does not rely upon decisions of the Kremlin and the government,” Gennady Semigin said. He also added that members of this new government would be working on a voluntary basis.
 
Gennady Semigin is the chairman of the “people's government” that has 22 ministers and four committee leaders as its members. Eleven deputies of the Duma of the current convocation are also members of this government. Sergey Glazyev holds the Finance Minister position and Sergey Baburin is the minister overseeing CIS problems. Gennady Gudkov from People's Party holds the position of the Interior Minister, ex-defense minister Igor Rodionov holds the post of defense minister in the shadow government; Viktor Alksnis is at head of the committee for migration policy and relations with compatriots.
 
Some of the ministers in the “people's government” are famous people having no connection with the Duma. The “people's government” is going to have sessions at least once a month; these are going to be open sessions.

Photo: The House of the Russian Government