Communists call for Putin's resignation

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, DEC. 3. The Russian Communist leader, Mr. Gennady Zyuganov, has accused the President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, of failing to deliver on his election promises and called for ``irreconcilable opposition'' to his regime.

Speaking at the opening of a Communist Party congress in Moscow, Mr. Zyuganov called for the resignation of Mr. Putin's Government, which he said, had blindly followed economic reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund. The Communist leader said the party was forming a shadow government that would suggest alternative policies in all spheres of life, especially economics.

``The party remains a responsible and irreconcilable opposition,'' Mr. Zyuganov said.

Interestingly, Mr. Putin sent a congratulatory message to the Communists' congress, expressing the hope that the party ``will firmly adhere to the principles of constructive dialogue and reasonable compromise in its work.

``I believe that national interests, stability and civil peace in Russia will continue to be unconditional priorities for the Russian Communist Party,'' the message said.

Mr. Zyuganov said his party's top priority was establishing a ``Soviet-type democracy'' and building a socialist society in Russia. ``Socialism is the modern form of Russian patriotism,'' he said.

He said the party had more than 500,000 members and was steadily increasing its ranks.

The Communist Party is the biggest single party in Russia's lower House of Parliament, though it lost many seats during last December's elections.

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Section  : International
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