Int'l conf on Russian parliamentarism to open Wed

MOSCOW, April 27 (Itar-Tass) - Russian parliamentarism is 105 years
old. The first session of pre-revolutionary State Duma, instituted by the
manifesto issued by Nicholas II, opened in theTauride Palace of St
Petersburg on April 27, 1906.
On the occasion of the memorable date, a visiting session of the
Assembly of Russian Lawmakers (ARL) was held in St Petersburg this past
Tueday, April 26.
An international conference is to pen on Wednesday with the
particiation of State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov, and members of the
Federal Assembly (parliament), intenrational parliamentary
associations,and legislatures of regions.
Open lessons devoted to the development of parliamentarism in Russia
are held in schools all over the country this week. It is also possible to
learn more about the first Russian representative institution of
parliamentary type at exhibitions that have opened in the State Museum of
History in St Petersburg, and in the State Duma building on Okhotny Ryad
(formerly bird-market stalls) in Moscow.
Gryzlov emphasized, "The study of the experience of our predecessors
will help us, the lawmakers, at Federal and regional levels in the
accomplishment of tasks of current importance". While mindful of
traditions, "We, for our part, create them as well", he pointed out,
citing as an example "The new but already appreciable institution such as
the ARL."
Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov believes that actually, "our
parliamentarism is more than 105 years old" and that the record must be
kept "not only from the date of the founding of the first State Duma". "We
also had the Novgorodian Republic where even waywode (town governor) was
(publicly) elected". Besides, "We also had splendid parliamentarism in
Cossack districts and associations," Zyuganov told Itar-Tass. He said the
phenomenon is rooted in "Russian collectivism, communalism, a strong
States and respect for high spirituality". Nowadays parliamentarism in
Russia "is rather of an embryo nature, glossed over by administrative
pressure, judicial arbitrariness and gubernatorial omnivorousness,"
Zyuganov maintains.
Nikolai Levichev, head of the Just Russia party faction, pointed out
the need to develop parliamentarism, first of all, "for coordinating
conflicting interests of varous sections of society". "Laws that are being
adopted directly influence the life of every person" and "there happens
bloodshed when society lacks mechanisms for such coordination," he said.
Liberal Democratic party faction head Igor Lebedev belives that the
multiparty system is the chief result of the development of
parliamentarism in Russia. "Various political forces are now repersented
in the State Duma. The voters can always choose a party that will reflect
their interests," he said in an Itar-Tass interview. Lebedev is of the
opinon that "in prospect, the number of parties will be determined clearly
while the so-called non-parliamentary parties will step aside".