GORKI, Russia - President Dmitry Medvedev promised on Wednesday the ruling United Russia party would play fair in a December parliamentary election and said the resource-reliant nation cannot modernise its economy without support from abroad.
Medvedev’s remarks appeared aimed at addressing Kremlin critics’ concerns that authorities will rig the vote in United Russia’s favour, and speculation Vladimir Putin’s planned return to the presidency could worsen relations with the West.
Medvedev will head United Russia’s candidate list for the Dec. 4 parliamentary election as part of a plan to swap jobs next year with Putin, who is now prime minister and will run for president in a March vote. He was president from 2000-2008.
Medvedev will be under pressure to lead United Russia to a convincing victory in elections to the State Duma, the lower parliament house in which it now holds a comfortable two-thirds majority.
"I am certain that there will be victory (for United Russia) and that it will be secured by legal means," Medvedev said in a meeting with loyal party supporters, entrepreneurs and show business figures at his residence outside Moscow.
The lengthy meeting was shown live on state television in an apparent attempt to cast Medvedev as an effective party leader.
The announcement last month of the planned job swap deepened feelings of disenfranchisement among Russians who believe they have little say in politics.
Putin and Medvedev have tried to counter that by saying voters are free to use their ballots in the parliamentary and presidential elections to reject the plans.
In a July survey by independent pollster Levada, a majority of respondents said the December election "will be only an imitation of a struggle and the distribution of parliament seats will be determined by the authorities".
Medvedev, whose decision to make way for Putin’s return disappointed those who hoped he would stay on and enact reforms, said fears that Putin’s return would bring Soviet-style political and economic stagnation were unfounded.
"We must not slide backwards," Medvedev said. "People are worried now … Are we moving forward or stagnating? Comparisons are drawn to the Brezhnev period. All these comparisons are misplaced."
Medvedev, who has championed the need to diversify Russia’s economy away from reliance on energy exports, said Moscow must look to foreign countries for investment and know-how.
"We cannot carry out modernisation without the support of other countries. An Iron Curtain never helped anyone," Medvedev said, referring to the Soviet Union’s isolation.
