Alexei Navalny's presidential platform The oppositionist's main campaign points in a nutshell
On Tuesday, oppositionist Alexei Navalny announced his intention to run for president in Russia’s 2018 elections. He also launched his campaign website Navalny 2018. The activist’s candidacy has yet to be officially registered. It is also yet unknown who his opponent his opponent will be. Current Russian president Vladimir Putin has not yet said whether he would participate in the race. Navalny – the founder of Russia’s Anti-Corruption Foundation – was the first of Russia’s potential presidential candidates to present his promises to the nation. Meduza has read Navalny’s presidential program and provides a brief synopsis below.
Overcoming inequality. Almost all of Russia’s “national wealth” belongs to oligarchs and former officials. To render ordinary residents this “elite” equal, you need to collect a one-time tax from oligarchs, as well as establish a high tax on the excess profits. Entrepreneurs with low incomes should be, on the contrary, be exempt from taxes. The minimum wage in Russia is to be 25 thousand rubles a month, the pension – exceed the minimum cost of living, and mortgage payments in a family of two working adults be set at 3% per annum. Federal budgetary funds should, first of all, be spent on hospitals, schools, and the construction and maintenance of roads.
Defeating corruption. Criminal cases should be initiated against government officials who are unable to explain the origin of their income while maintaining luxurious lifestyles. The should apply to officials accused of corruption by the press. All owners of enterprises working with the state should be exposed in order to fight corruption in the public sphere.
Be victorious over Moscow. The regions should have higher tax rates, so as to give local authorities the resources to solve the everyday problems of regional residents. Moscow can build roads and hospitals, maintain order and guard borders; in all other respect Russia’s regions can manage themselves.
Overcoming isolation. It is more profitable to sell, not to fight – we need to stop our operations in Syria and Ukraine (Meduza: Russian authorities do not recognize the presence of Russian troops in the neighboring country). Russia should become the leading country in Europe and Asia through “economic power and cultural expansion.” It is necessary to introduce a visa regime with Central Asian countries.
Defeating the Siloviki (Meduza: politicians from the security or military services). They should be stripped of those powers that enable them to put pressure on entrepreneurs. The police should be transformed so as to render it more trustworthy. But the main thing is the creation of an independent court system, which can be achieved only through judicial reform.