Mintimer Shaimiev: “Party merging that is taking place now is not a very fortunate reanimation of electoral blocks”

November 11, 11th Conference of the Tatarstan regional branch of the United Russia political party was held in Kazan. The conference gathered together one hundred eighty-nine delegates of the 95 thousand-member republican party organization. Taking part in the conference were the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the RF Federal Assembly, Deputy Secretary of the Presidium of the United Russia General Council, Mr. Oleg Morozov, the Secretary of the political council of the Tatarstan regional branch of the United Russia, Chairman of the RT State Council, Mr. Farid Mukhametshin, the RT First Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Ravil Muratov. Among the invited were officials of the RT Cabinet of Ministers, heads of municipal formations, CEOs of republican enterprises and organizations.

The RT President, Co-chairman of the United Russia, M. Mintimer Shaimiev addressed the delegates and guests with a welcome speech. In his opinion, the oncoming 7th congress of the party should be a final stage of preparation for State Duma elections. “The number of submitted proposals and criticisms to the Program Statement of the United Russia shows a big interest of ordinary citizens of the republic to the party’s activity”, the President emphasised.
“During its five-year existence, the party managed to achieve a lot”, the head of the republic believes. “It is a growth of party membership, victory in the State Duma elections and considerable success in local elections. The united Russia became first in post-Soviet Russia to overcome a one-million barrier”, Mintimer Shaimiev said.
He also noted that there are not so many parties that have good chances in the oncoming State Duma elections, and the united Russia is among them. “Cancellation of elections in one-mandate districts narrowed manoeuvring opportunities for individual contenders, incidental people. Parties now have more responsibility before the people”, the RT President expressed his opinion.