RUSSIA WILL REMAIN "UNITED"

As was expected, Vladimir Putin became the first candidate nominated for the presidential election scheduled in Russia for 4 March 2012. His decision to return to the Kremlin was announced a month ago in the first part of the United Russia congress. At the same time, it was announced that after the presidential election, the current head of state, Dmitriy Medvedev, should take the post of prime minister and head the United Russia list in the elections to the Duma.

And at the end of November, in the second part of the United Russia congress in Luzhniki, which brought together 11,000 members and supporters of the ruling party and 25 foreign delegations, the presidential candidate from the ruling party was approved.

The Russian media notes that never in Russia, have presidential candidates given citizens any programme in the form of a specific document. This was true of Dmitriy Medvedev's presidential campaign and the previous elections, which involved Putin himself. But the 27 November congress changed this political tradition.

Putin himself looked calm and confident, the press stressed. And it is not surprising, because he has no rivals. Many experts described his speech as a manifesto, although, in fact, he did not say anything new. There was only one new thesis: economic union in the post-Soviet area, otherwise, Putin played his usual role.

According to the prime minister, Russia will be a united and strong country which guarantees a reliable job and a decent life for every person and in which "freedom will be based on a foundation of justice". According to the ruling party's candidate, attention will be paid to the spiritual rebirth of the people, i.e. education and culture will be the priority. The theme of social justice is also the priority in the presidential programme. "We are talking about the growth in incomes, wages and pensions and the things that define the daily well-being of every Russian family," the prime minister said.

However, he lashed out at the opposition, saying that in Russia there is no force but United Russia ready to take on the burden of responsibility for the future of the country. According to him, some opposition members are responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union, and others - for the "unprecedented looting" of the country in the 1990s. "They killed industry, agriculture and the social sector, plunged the knife of civil war into the heart of the country - causing bloodshed in the North Caucasus," Putin said.

The prime minister also said a few words about the West. Putin openly stated that "representatives of certain foreign states collect those to whom they pay, the so-called grantees, instruct them and give them a relevant 'job' in order to influence the election campaign". The prime minister called such activities "boondoggle". "As we say in popular parlance: money is going down the drain. First, because Judas is not the most respected biblical character in our nation, and secondly, they'd better use this money to pay off their public debt and stop conducting an inefficient and costly foreign policy," Putin said, throwing a stone into the European garden.

As for President Dmitriy Medvedev, he also attacked the opposition, noting that even now that it is coming to power in the regions, nothing good is happening.

Observers point out that the speech of the incumbent president did not contain the ideas of his presidential manifesto "Forward, Russia!" - the refusal of an economic model based on raw materials, a paternalistic ideology in favour of an innovation-based "smart economy" and a more free and humane political system. But Dmitriy Medvedev and Vladimir Putin showed that they are a single team and know what they have to do in the coming years and how.

Most analysts said that the speeches of Putin and Medvedev at the congress were targeted primarily at the parliamentary campaign. In their view, the authorities have to convince the voters that by voting for United Russia, they personally vote for Putin, because as a politician, the prime minister is now much more popular than the party.

A number of experts concluded that Putin intends to use the image of Stalin as an "effective manager" in his election programme, which will not only save his image as a "strong leader", but also attract voters who usually vote for the CPRF.

Hence, sharp criticism of the premier's speech by the CPRF leader Gennadiy Zyuganov. He said that the congress of Putin's party smacks of "vulgarity and mothballs". In general, the opposition reacted to the prime minister's statement very negatively. It announced that it attaches no importance to another "programme of promises" which the current government "gives, but does not keep".

One way or another, it seems that United Russia will keep control of the Duma, not least due to the current head of government.

With regard to Azerbaijani-Russian relations, Putin's return to political power in Russia promises the continuity of the current policy. The member of the Milli Maclis and deputy executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, Mubariz Qurbanli, said that it was precisely after Putin's election as Russian president in 2000 that the Kremlin began to pursue a policy of rapprochement with Baku and developing good neighbourly relations.