21 February 2009

The crisis is neither financial, nor economic, but deep and systemic

Russia's opposition rallied about 600 people in central Moscow on Saturday to demand early presidential elections, the latest sign of public anger over the government's handling of a deepening economic crisis.

Russia's leaders are trying cope with the worst slump in at least a decade and investors are closely watching for any signs of growing discontent as unemployment soars.

'The crisis is neither financial, nor economic, but deep and systemic,' Mikhail Kasyanov, a former prime minister turned opposition leader, told the crowd.

'We demand the unconditional end of this government and call for new elections in six months,' Kasyanov said.

 Activists blamed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev for the crisis, chanting 'down with the authorities' and holding banners saying 'Putin plus Medvedev equals crisis'. 

The Moscow rally, sanctioned by city officials, builds upon a series of Russia-wide protests that brought thousands of people onto the streets of major cities three weeks ago to demand political change.

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