Russia’s National Ideology Will Not Differ From European Traditions door Kremlin Official op MosNews.com, 28 juni 2006.

Russia’s emerging national ideology would not differ much from European traditions, an influential presidential aide said Wednesday, RIA Novosti news agency reports. “As far as the basics of a possible emerging national ideology are concerned, I think they are unlikely to drastically differ from the common European values and models,” Vladislav Surkov, deputy head of the Kremlin staff stressed.


He added that Russia’s version of European culture was no more specific than German, French or British versions, adding that Europeans would have to get used to Russian specifics. “We see ourselves in the world in this way, and I hope our neighbors and partners will understand us,” Surkov said.

According to Interfax, Presidential aid also stressed that national ideology plays an important role in the ongoing administrative reform in Russia. “The construction of a power vertical was necessary and it still is, but a bureaucratic structure will not survive long, if we do not enrich it with an ideology recognized by the whole nation,” he said.

At a briefing in Moscow Surkov also mentioned a possibility of changing the non-partisan nature of Russian presidency “in a short historical perspective.”

“This is the price of the fight with communism. We were involved in making society non-partisan and we got addicted to it. That is why this situation emerged,” he said. Surkov added that Western countries, where a president supports the party that nominated him, could serve as an example and said it is normal.

Kremlin official also rebuffed the critics of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and other officials in Washington — of Russia’s backsliding on democracy and reverting to authoritarian tendencies. He stressed that Russia had what he termed a sovereign democracy and freedom.

“While building an open society, we do not forget that we are a free nation, and we want to be a free nation among other free nations and cooperate with them according to just rules without being governed from outside,” he said.

Bron: MosNews.com