Tatarstan approaches european level of democratization

I consider positive factor, that during the trip by Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe across Russia, they had decided to choose our Republic for monitoring, RT President Mintimer Shaimiev said at the meeting with PACE Commission on monitoring rapporteurs David Atkinson and Rudolf Bindig.

We are always capable to estimate at which stage we are , Mintimer Shaimiev noted. It is an everyday routine for you but for us it is a necessity. We pay great attention to assessment of the processes developing in Tatarstan. Outside look is important indeed. Without any doubts, we wish Russia to achieve European level of democracy and market relations. One thing is to wish, another thing is to implement such standards into life within the short period of reform years. Many generations had lived in totalitarian state and in terms of modern economy for such a large country it is quite difficult to change within this period. The developing countries would pass through this way may be much easier, than the USSR with its monopolized industry. Russia is rather successful in mastering market economy. That is why I think, the country has passed a long way for this time.

I question myself frequently, Mintimer Shaimiev said, whether Tatarstan could be different. It is not easy to answer, but I am inclined to think, rather it couldn’t, Tatarstan must be as it is today. We have managed to enter the developed market economy.

During the press conference members of PACE delegation expressed their highest appreciation of RT President Mintimer Shaimiev’s opinion in that Russia would not fall off democratic line. This does encourage us very much, as the Council of Europe is an organization that constantly advocates democracy and observing obligations of Russian Federation in terms of democratization of the country, in particular, the guests said. We have familiarized with human rights and democratic freedoms in the Republic. Now, we are going to compare the information together with the ones we had obtained visiting other regions and after the forthcoming trip to Moscow next month, we will make a report on the situation in Russian Federation with the compulsory obligations fulfillment to become a member of Council of Europe. The report will be considered at the Parliamentary Assembly Commission on monitoring and be proposed for discussion at the Assembly in April, next year. But now, it is too early to make any conclusions so far.