The Media Mirror - Today's Russian press review

Russian papers give prominence to the Russian President’s statement at the United Russia party congress and the results of the parliamentary election in Ukraine.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta says the first day of the United Russia party Congress ended in sensation, when Vladimir Putin agreed to head the party list of parliamentary candidates. The President, notes the paper, like any other government official, has a constitutional right to run for a Duma seat on a party list without becoming a party member.
 
The same paper publishes the first comments on the President’s candidacy and his possible acceptance of the Prime Minister post.
 
Sergey Markov from the Institute of Political Studies claims a new political system is under construction at the moment. It will resemble the systems of France, Sweden and Japan with a strong parliament and a dominant party. Putin may become Prime Minister or party leader.
 
Gleb Pavlovsky writes the new political system of Russia will combine a strong President with a strong parliamentary majority. A new stage of democratisation is beginning in Russia, he concludes.
 
Vremya Novostei says the United Russia congress has solved one of the main problems of modern Russian politics – the problem of a job for Vladimir Putin after 2008. Now, the paper notes, political power can remain firmly in Putin’s hands without amending the Constitution.
 
Kommersant publishes an article by Andrey Kolesnikov who reports from the congress. In reaction to Vladimir Putin’s acceptance of party list candidacy, Andrey Vorobyev, one of the leaders of the party, said gladly that sometimes even the craziest dreams come true! 
 
The Ukrainian parliamentary election, writes Vremya Novostei, ended in a puzzle. On the one hand, the Party of the Regions headed by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has the biggest vote. But Yulia Timoshenko’s bloc gained ten per cent more votes than in the previous election.
 
Nezavisimaya Gazeta says the political battle in Ukraine is being fought over one or two per cent of the vote. However, that margin may become decisive.
 
The same paper writes the Ukrainian election is closely monitored in the West. Some newspapers hurried to announce the victory of the “Orange Princess” but now have to adjust their tone. The final result, says the paper, won’t be known before the vote count is complete.
 
Trud writes “The Regionals” outvoted “Lady Yu” but the overall arithmetic suggests that “Lady Yulia” plus the President’s party “Our Ukraine” together have more votes than all other candidates. The paper concludes that may mean an “Orange” victory.